Cheryl and Archie: Season 1
by lbwiki585
Summary: Shortly after the death of Jason Blossom, Archie Andrews and Cheryl Blossom develop romantic feelings for each other.
1. The River's Edge

**Author's Note: Before I start this story, I just need to clarify several issues. The first issue is that I know Cheryl Blossom is a lesbian. The actress herself confirmed this. And I know that by even making this fanfiction, I am at risk of being verbally attacked by those that ship Cheryl with Toni Topaz, also known as "Choni" shippers. I already know the backlash that could be caused just for writing this story, so I'm just adding disclaimers in case if anyone is incensed. I think Choni is a better relationship than "Charchie", the pairing of Cheryl Blossom and Archie Andrews. I'm not trying to anger or offend anyone here. That's never the intention. But just think…what if Cheryl wasn't lesbian? What if she was straight or bisexual? Just personal thoughts. I don't expect everyone to agree with me, and I'm not going to exhaust myself trying to do so. And I'm sure there are plenty of others that ship Archie and Cheryl. If there are no more questions, let's start this story…**

Chapter 1: The River's Edge

Archie Andrews was in his room, playing with his guitar. He was looking forward to football season and possibly being the starting quarterback or maybe even being the starting wide receiver. With Jason Blossom as the captain, they would surely seem unbeatable.

"Hey, Archie", Fred Andrews said as he walked into his son's room. Fred was Archie's father.

"Hey, Dad", Archie said. "What's up?"

"Just wanted to tell you to have a good night's sleep", Fred said. "Just looking out for you."

"Dad, relax, I'll be fine."

"Ok, then", Archie said. "Good night, Dad."

"Good night, son."

As Fred walked out of the room, Archie laid down on his bed. For some reason, Cheryl Blossom popped into his mind. Archie wasn't sure why. With football season to think about in the fall and his 10th grade year, why would he be thinking about Cheryl? They were on good terms, but they weren't exactly friends.

Yet, Archie couldn't stop thinking about her, even when he fell asleep. In his dream, Cheryl was sobbing and hugging Archie for comfort. The dream seemed so relaxing and comforting. Archie didn't know why Cheryl was crying in the dream. It had to represent or symbolize something. Archie didn't know what it was.

Archie and Cheryl held each other tightly for a few more minutes. Archie wasn't sure why this was happening. True, Archie was willing to help a lot of people, even acquaintances that he wasn't close with, but this might have been going too far.

_"Archie, I love you", Cheryl said._

_ "I love you too, Cheryl", Archie replied._

What the hell was happening? He was in _love_ with Cheryl? Something was seriously wrong with this image. This debacle was not something he would have predicted.

Cheryl then leaned in to kiss Archie.

That's when Archie woke up.

It was probably the strangest and most unexplainable dream Archie had ever had. Archie had talked with girls, but he never had any romantic feelings for any of them. He was just too busy for a relationship. He didn't have time to face anything distracting when he had to study for exams and play football. His future was too delicate to waste.

But later that day, Archie and Fred would be alongside Sweetwater River along with many of the other citizens of Riverdale. Archie saw Cheryl sitting in boat next to her parents. Clifford Blossom was yelling at the coast guard to find his son.

Archie couldn't believe it. Jason Blossom was missing? Maybe that's why Cheryl had hugged Archie in the dream. Archie was always friendly with Cheryl, but he had never viewed her in a romantic way.

At least, not until then. Romance and love may have been foreign emotions and a mystery from long ago, but he thought he was starting to understand it. Maybe Cheryl was the one for him.

Archie started dwelling on that thought. He was in love with Cheryl. He suddenly cared for her, more than he ever did before. He wanted to tell Cheryl about how he felt, that he would always be there for her.

Of course, then there was Cheryl's parents. Archie always respected Clifford and Penelope, but he had to be careful not to say or do anything stupid. They were the richest couple in Riverdale. Even though Jason and Cheryl were from an affluent family, they never seemed to boast about their wealth.

Still, would Clifford and Penelope approve of Archie and Cheryl being in a relationship? Archie could only speculate, but he secretly hoped that they would approve. Although he hated to think on what could happen if they didn't approve.

"Is everything all right, Archie?", Fred asked as they drove back home.

"I was just worried about Jason…and Cheryl", Archie said.

"I was never a big fan of their parents", Fred said. "But Jason's a good kid. And Cheryl seems like a nice girl as well. I hope he returns safely."

Archie secretly hoped so too. But he didn't reveal his romantic feelings for Cheryl to his dad. At least not yet. Archie had to be certain if those feelings were genuine. If he made any mistakes, he would be sure to be filled with regret.

Meanwhile, Cheryl was in the boat, being yelled at by Penelope. Her mother was ranting about Cheryl being so irresponsible and reckless to cause Jason to go missing and possibly drown.

"YOU STUPID, SELFISH GIRL!", Penelope screamed. "What in the hell were you thinking?"

Cheryl didn't say anything. She merely looked down at the ground.

"It was a mistake", Cheryl said.

"Mistake?! You call letting your brother die a mistake? I promise you, Cheryl, you will pay the price for your foolish thinking!"

Clifford said nothing to her during the whole ordeal. Yet, during the search and her awful time in the boat, she thought about Archie Andrews in the back of her mind. That was strange. With Jason's disappearance and possible death, why would she be thinking about Archie? He seemed like a nice boy, but the two of them had barely said a word to each other during the last year of high school.

Anyway, it didn't matter now. Cheryl would have thought her parents would have grounded her for life. But they said nothing to her. They were obviously giving her the silent treatment.

The next day, Archie decided to visit Cheryl. He wanted to be able to comfort her and tell her he would be there for her.

"Hey, Dad", Archie said as he greeted his father.

"Hello, son", Fred said. "What are your plans for today?"

"I'm planning on visiting Cheryl Blossom, if you don't mind", Archie said.

Fred said nothing for a few minutes, merely stirring his coffee.

"That's fine, Archie", Fred said. "But may I ask why?"

"It's just…I feel so much sympathy for her", Archie said. "It breaks my heart. Maybe I could talk to her, offer some words of encouragement."

"Like I said, Archie, go ahead", Fred said. "But be cautious of her parents. You already know what they're like."

Archie finished his breakfast and started walking towards Thornhill, the name for the Blossom estate. His heart was pounding as he approached the front door.

Archie knocked on the door.

A few minutes later, Clifford Blossom opened the door.

"Archibald Andrews", Clifford said. "What bring you here? How may I help you?"

"Mr. Blossom, I wanted to speak to Cheryl, if you don't mind."

Clifford sighed.

"Fine, go ahead. But she's already in a pathetic state after the situation involving Jason. You already know about that."

Archie nodded and walked upstairs to Cheryl's room. He knocked on the door.

"What do you want?", Cheryl asked in an annoyed voice. "If it's you, Mom, I don't want to talk."

"No, Cheryl, it's me…Archie."

Archie heard footsteps and saw the door being opened.

"Archie Andrews…what a pleasant surprise. I didn't expect to see you here."

"Cheryl, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry you're going through this. I admired and respected your brother."

Cheryl managed a small smile at Archie.

"Thanks, Archie", Cheryl said.

"No problem, Cheryl", Archie said. "If you need to talk to anyone, you can talk to me."

Cheryl didn't know why Archie was being so nice all of a sudden. They barely spoke a word to each other during ninth grade. Now, they were talking like they were close friends.

Cheryl then started crying. Archie, without even thinking about what he was doing, put his arms around her and hugged her. Cheryl buried her face in his chest, letting the tears out. She then sobbed on his shoulder.

After a few minutes, Archie then pulled away.

"I'm sorry, Cheryl, I shouldn't have…"

"Don't be silly, Archie", Cheryl said. "You were there for me and you comforted me. No one's ever done anything that nice for me before."

"I'm sure that's not true, Cheryl", Archie said. He wished what he was saying was true. But most of the students at school were afraid to get in Cheryl's way for fear of being chewed out. Archie himself had feared her for worry of looking like an idiot.

Still, Archie knew Cheryl was hurting. The only reason Cheryl was like this was because of her life at home. Archie couldn't recall ever seeing Clifford and Penelope saying that they loved their daughter.

Still, Archie would prove to Cheryl that he would always be there for her. And it would not be such a simple task.

**Author's Note: And that was Chapter 1! I'll see when I can write the second chapter, assuming the Choni fans don't crucify me first.**


	2. Comforter

**Author's Note: And here's chapter 2! Haven't received any death threats from the Choni fans, so that's nice, I guess. Anyway…**

Chapter 2: Comforter

Archie and Cheryl sat side by side on the bed, neither of them saying anything for a few minutes.

"Tell me about Jason", Archie said. "It might help if you tell me what you liked the most about him."

Cheryl wiped tears off of her face and stared straight ahead.

"He was the only one in this family that truly loved me", Cheryl said. "He was my best friend, someone I admired. He never had anything bad to say about me. When my parents yelled at me for some reason, Jason was always there to offer some encouragement."

Cheryl looked down at the ground.

"Cheryl, I don't know where to begin", Archie said. "I'm sorry that we didn't get many chances to interact or socialize last year or during middle school. I wished I had said something to you to offer encouragement. You're an incredible girl. You have so much talent. Jason would be proud of you."

"Cheryl, I know I shouldn't have ignored you or overlooked what you were going through. But I truly want what's best for you. If you'll give me a chance, I want to help you."

Cheryl smiled at Archie.

"Thanks, Archie", she said. "But may I ask why you are being so nice to me?"

Archie smiled at Cheryl. "I'm an only child. I've never had any brothers or sisters. Even though I'm best friends with Jughead or Betty, I've never really looked out for them that well either. I want to improve my character and personality. I want to put aside my own selfishness."

"But, Archie", Cheryl said. "You're far from selfish. I've seen that in your attitude and your childhood. I remember in third grade, when I had tripped and gotten my knee injured, you tried to help me. You got band-aids from the nurse's office and tried to heal my wounds."

Archie smiled when he remembered. "I can't believe I forgot. How do you remember that? It was so long ago."

"I didn't have many friends in elementary school", Cheryl said. "Some people were jealous because of the wealth of my family. Others were afraid that I would scream at them. But during the few times we interacted, you were always nice to me. There's no reason to be so modest."

"Thank you, Cheryl", Archie said. "But like I said before, I should have been there for you. Rather than neglect you the way I did back in elementary school, I should have supported you and stuck by you. I should have done stuff like offer you a seat at lunch, invite you or social events, or at the very least talked more to you."

"Archie, don't be so hard on yourself", Cheryl said. "You were never nasty or spiteful towards me. You really should give yourself more credit for your personality."

"But I'll be there for you, Cheryl", Archie said. "Even if no one else is, even if your parents aren't there for you, I'll be willing to help. I'm willing to listen."

Cheryl hugged Archie in response.

"Can you tell me any memories of Jason?", Cheryl asked.

Archie tried to think.

"Truth be told, outside of football, we didn't have that much interaction. But we were at a party during freshman year after we won a game against Baxter High School. I think it was at Chuck Clayton's house. We had some pizza and then we played cards. I lose against Jason, but it was a good game. I honestly have to give credit to Jason for not trying to cheat during the game."

Archie looked down at the ground.

"The last time I ever spoke to Jason was a phone call back in June. I asked him if he thought we could have a chance at getting through the playoffs and going to finals. Jason thought we had a decent chance."

Archie glanced at Cheryl, who was looking at the ground feeling remorseful and frightened. He had never seen her show any signs of fear.

"Cheryl, I know that I could never replace Jason. I could never be an awesome brother as he was to you. This concept of having a sibling that I could depend on is almost completely new to me. But I could use a sister. And I'm sure you could use a brother."

Archie secretly knew that his new feelings for Cheryl were stronger than that, but he knew that now was not a good time to admit it. Cheryl needed time to grieve and someone to talk to. Archie would at least help her with that.

Archie and Cheryl embraced for a few more minutes. Then Archie said, "Cheryl, I've got to head back home. My dad will be worried about me. But take care of yourself, okay?"

Cheryl nodded. As the boy left, Cheryl thought about how wonderful Archie really was, on both the outside and inside. Though the two had hardly spoken to each other previously, Cheryl suddenly thought that maybe she and Archie being more than friends maybe wouldn't be so bad. In fact, it could be beneficial and essential during this terrible time for her. It seemed like the entire world had turned its back on her.

When Archie headed back to his house, he headed upstairs to his bedroom. He was in love with Cheryl. He was crazy about her. He didn't know why he didn't have this passion and pride about her before, but he was surely feeling it now. He may have made some regrettable choices in the past, but there was no question that he would do everything he could to make it up to Cheryl. He had to be there for her. No one else seemed to even want to be near her. He had to at least make some kind of an effort.

Then Archie realized that Betty Cooper and Jughead Jones could not find out about this. Betty and Jughead were never friends with Cheryl, and if they found out about what he was doing…he didn't want to think about the backlash.

Archie decided he would only tell them when enough time had passed. It didn't seem necessary to tell any of them now. They didn't need to know right away.

So, almost every day that summer, Archie would stop by the Blossom household to spend time with Cheryl and talk to her. A few of those times, Clifford and Penelope would invite Archie for meals. He only came for Cheryl's sake, although he was very polite.

Archie didn't tell Fred anything about the meals he had at the Blossom household. He was pretty sure Fred would not be pleased with that. Archie also had to be careful not to accidentally run into Betty and Jughead during his trips to Thornhill. It was proving to be harder than he thought.

Finally, the first day of school arrived. Archie was preparing himself for football season and for his classes. He knew it was going to different without Jason. He wondered what would happen at school. Would they make a tribute for him?

"Hey, Archie", Fred said. "Are you ready for school?"

"Yeah, Dad."

"You know, Archie, I remembered you expressed interest in working for me at Andrew's Construction. You might have your chance."

"Dad, I would love to, make no mistake. I'll do the best I can, although I have football and I have plans to practice music", Archie said.

"Don't worry, Archie, I'm sure you will be fine. Whatever you want, it's your choice."

Archie nodded and hugged his father.

"I love you, Dad."

"Love you too, son."

Archie headed to the school and eventually found himself in the school gymnasium with the other tenth graders. As Cheryl passed by Archie, she winked at him. Archie smiled at her. He had to be careful to not risk being seen, of course.

Betty waved to Archie, and Archie smiled at her. Archie looked over at Reggie Mantle. Reggie was staring straight ahead, seemingly at Geraldine Grundy, who was the young music teacher. Archie thought this looked suspicious.

The principal, Waldo Weatherbee, announced into the podium, "We are filled with heavy hearts to inform you about the tragic loss of one of our students, Jason Blossom. He would have started his sophomore year today. Cheryl Blossom, Jason's sister, would like to say a few words."

Archie beamed as he saw Cheryl walk to the podium.

_You can do it, Cheryl,_ Archie thought.

"Hello, fellow students of Riverdale High. I am filled with remorse and sorrow over my dear brother. But I'm sure Jason would have wanted the Pep Rally to occur in any case. Let's do it for Jason!"

The crowd cheered and clapped. Archie applauded respectfully. He wondered who the new quarterback would be, now that Jason was gone. He did not expect this situation to occur.

As the students filed out of the gymnasium, Archie passed by Cheryl.

"You did great", Archie said.

"Thank you, Archie", Cheryl said. But Archie was already gone.

Archie's first class was English. He paid attention, but he had some awful feelings inside of him, like something terrible was about to happen. He did his best to dismiss those feelings.

Later, Archie was heading to his next class, Biology. As he was heading there, he noticed out of the corner of his eye two people in the music room. As he tiptoed to get a better look, he saw that Reggie and Miss Grundy were talking and laughing. Archie looked disgusted when he saw that Miss Grundy was putting her hand way too close to Reggie's ass. Archie walked away, hoping he could forget about he had just seen.

In Biology, Archie decided to work with Cheryl.

"Do the police have any leads?", Archie asked Cheryl.

"None, sadly", Cheryl said as she dissected one of the frogs in anger. "When I find the person who did this…"

"Cheryl, you'll be fine", Archie said as he offered a comforting hand on Cheryl's shoulder.

Cheryl smiled and the two of them resumed working.

When classes ended that day, Archie received a text from Betty.

_Meet me after football practice at Pop's, _the text said.

Archie then replied in his own text to her, _Sure, Betty._

As Archie was heading towards the football field, he saw Reggie on the field playing catch with Chuck Clayton and Moose Mason.

"Hey, Reggie", Archie said.

"Archie", Reggie replied in response.

"Reggie, I don't mean to sound like a snoop, but I saw you with Miss Grundy in the music room."

Reggie glared at him.

"Whatever you saw, Andrews, is none of your business", Reggie said.

"But Reggie…"

"Drop it, Andrews", Reggie said.

Archie then decided to stop talking and focus on playing catch.

Later Coach Clayton had them doing scrimmage drills. Archie managed to make at least three successful plays when he was playing as the quarterback. Although Archie thought he would have made a better wide receiver.

After practice, Coach Clayton then gave Archie a jersey.

Archie noticed the jersey had the number nine, which had been Jason's number.

"Coach Clayton, this is Jason's jersey", Archie said.

"You can have it", Coach Clayton. "After all the hard work you put in, you deserve it. And you know being on varsity means more away games."

"Yes, Coach", Archie said, seeming obedient and compliant. But in his mind, he felt puzzled. What would Cheryl think about Archie using her late brother's jersey number?

_Maybe she won't mind_, Archie thought.

"You should feel honored", Reggie said to him. "I wanted that jersey."

Archie didn't respond to him. He showered and got changed. He headed to Pop's, where Betty Cooper was waiting for him with a dark-haired girl.

"Hello, Archie", Betty said. "This is Veronica Lodge. She and her mother moved to Riverdale from New York."

"Nice to meet you, Veronica", Archie said as he offered to shake her hand.

"So, how is everything going?", Archie asked Betty.

"Everything is fine. How have you been this summer? I've noticed we didn't have that much interaction."

"I've been busy with practicing football and writing music. I've had a lot to think about", Archie said. He was smart enough not to say anything about Cheryl.

"This fast food restaurant looks amazing", Veronica said.

"Their food is pretty good", Archie said.

He then checked his watch.

"Look, Betty. It was great speaking to you again. I have to get going", Archie said as he headed to Thornhill.

"See you!", Betty said.

Archie ran as fast as he could to the Blossom estate. He had to make sure that no one recognized him on the way over there. Archie noticed Kevin Keller laughing with Moose Mason and Midge Klump at one of the street corners, so he had to take another route to Thornhill. He had no interest currently in engaging in long conversations.

Archie knocked on the door. Penelope answered.

"Is Cheryl home?", Archie asked.

"She's upstairs in her bedroom", Penelope said.

Archie walked upstairs to Cheryl's room. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Nana Rose looking at him. He decided not to give that much thought.

"Cheryl?", he asked.

"Come in", Cheryl said.

Archie walked in and hugged Cheryl tightly. Cheryl hugged him back, clearly feeling relaxed and ecstatic.

"How are you feeling?", Archie asked.

"Wonderful", Cheryl said. "Even though Jason's gone, I have someone I can talk to and pour out my heart to. Someone I can trust and depend on."

Archie nodded. He only hoped Cheryl wouldn't ask about football.

"How is football?", she asked.

_Crap!, _Archie thought. _She's going to find out about me getting Jason's number. Oh well, might as well tell the truth._

"Well, I'm on the varsity team. In the starting lineup", he explained.

"That's great", she said.

"There's something I need to tell you. Please don't be upset", Archie said.

"Just tell me, Archie", Cheryl said. "Whatever it is, it can't be that bad."

Archie took a deep breath.

"Cheryl, when Coach Clayton was giving me a varsity jersey…see, that was the problem. He gave me Jason's jersey. And Jason's number."

Cheryl's expression suddenly turned serious.

"You're not going to wear it, are you?", she asked.

"Cheryl, you know I care about you", Archie said. "I want to be committed to making you happy, more committed than I had ever been before. I'll talk to Coach Clayton. Maybe Jason's number could be retired or something."

Cheryl smiled at Archie.

"That's what I like about you. So thoughtful and caring. Putting the needs of others before your own."

"There's another thing I need to talk to you about", Archie said. "It might seem bold and risky. But after seeing what happened with Jason, it shows me that time isn't guaranteed for everyone. Anything could happen at any time. But Cheryl, I want to do this."

Archie took a deep breath, knowing that what he said next could change everything forever.

"Cheryl, will you be my girlfriend?", he asked.

It took approximately a minute for Cheryl to respond.

"Yes", she said. She then hugged Archie.

**That night…**

Kevin Keller, Moose Mason, and Midge Klump were walking by Sweetwater River, laughing and joking.

"So, Kevin, are there any guys you are interested in?", Moose asked. Moose and Midge both knew that Kevin was gay.

"Not really", Kevin said. "There aren't many options."

"Well, you just might find someone in these woods", Midge said. "There are so many possibilities…"

Midge then looked at the water with a horrified expression.

"Midge, what's wrong?", Moose asked.

"It's what's in the water", Midge said. "It's Jason's body! We need to call your dad, Kevin! He'll know what to do."

Kevin seemed shocked by seeing Jason's corpse floating in the water. Suddenly his issues with being gay didn't seem to be vital at that moment.

"I think I'm going to be sick", Kevin moaned with both horror and disbelief.


	3. First Kiss

**Author's Note: My favorite Riverdale relationships. Please don't kill me.**

**#1: Betty and Jughead (Bughead)**

**#2: Cheryl and Toni (Choni)**

**#3: FP and Alice (Falice)**

**#4: Cheryl and Archie** **(Charchie)**

**#5: Veronica and Archie (Varchie)**

**#6: Kevin and Fangs**

**#7: Chuck and Josie**

**#8: Tom and Sierra**

**#9: Veronica and Reggie (Veggie)**

**#10: Jason and Polly (Jolly)**

**#11: Fred and Hermione**

**#12: Archie and Josie**

**#13: Kevin and Moose**

**#14: Sweet Pea and Josie**

**#15: Kevin and Joaquin**

**#16: Frank and Hermione**

**#17: Moose and Midge**

**Continuing the story…**

Chapter 3: First Kiss

**Hours earlier, at Thornhill…**

When Cheryl was hugging Archie, he was feeling the warmth of her embrace. He was feeling so alive, much happier than he had ever felt before. He was sure Cheryl could say likewise. Even though he had no interest in pursuing romance before, he was glad that he and Cheryl were in a relationship now. He could only wonder how long that would last.

"I feel ecstatic", Archie said.

"Same, Archiekins", Cheryl said, smiling.

"This new romance feels…euphoric", Archie said as he held Cheryl's hand. He was feeling so joyful, but at the same time really nervous. How would everyone else react when they all found out?

"Archie, this summer I feel like we've been closer than ever before. So close that I trust you with my life and my future."

"Cheryl, I feel the same exact way. But we have to be careful."

Archie whispered that last sentence.

"Why is that?", Cheryl asked.

"Well, you know my father isn't exactly fond of your parents, no offense intended", Archie said.

"I understand completely", Cheryl said.

"And you know that Betty, Jughead, and our classmates from school might never understand this romantical relationship. The richest girl in school dating the son of a construction worker."

"Archie, I don't care what they think. I'm not interested in your social status or financial background. I just want _you_. And if they can't understand or respect that, then who cares what they think?"

"Cheryl, I know your feelings for me are pure. I'm not ashamed of you, not at all. But we should at least wait a few weeks or a couple of months before we tell anyone else. Our classmates at school might gradually adjust to the news. But your parents might have difficulty accepting this."

Cheryl smiled at Archie before holding his face with both of her hands.

"Archie, I don't care what they think. For years they've criticized me for the slightest things. My love for you is something that _I_ have chosen. I'm not going to let my parents decide matters. But if you want to wait a while before telling anyone else, I understand completely. There's no need to rush."

Archie nodded. "Thank you. Like I said before, I'll talk to Coach Clayton and convince him to retire Jason's number. I'll do my hardest. For you."

Cheryl hugged Archie. "If only everyone in this town was as understanding as you are."

Neither of them spoke for a few minutes.

Then Cheryl said, "I'm hosting a party here tonight. Are you going to come?"

"Of course, I am, Cheryl. If it's important to you, it's important to me."

The pair hugged each other tightly before Archie left.

**At the party…**

Archie was sitting with Reggie and several other guys from the football team, just having a casual conversation. Archie was careful enough to avoid being seen talking to Cheryl. He didn't want to risk somebody getting suspicious or finding out about their new relationship.

Archie wondered how long Reggie and Mrs. Grundy had been "hanging out", to put the term of their disgusting romance lightly. How many teenage boys did Grundy seduce? He couldn't fathom how anyone that was a teacher could be prideful of being a predator. Archie wanted to help Reggie, but he also didn't want to seem like he was meddling into someone else's problems. He didn't want Reggie to think he was being nosy. But Reggie's fling with Grundy was something that needed to be stopped immediately. Still, Archie was smart enough to keep his mouth shut about the matter during the party.

"Hey, Archie, are there any girls you have any interest in?", Moose asked.

Archie's eyes darted over to Cheryl, who was on the other side of the room, before answering.

"No, not really. Like I said, I have to focus on school and my possible college career."

"Really? No girls at all? Not even Betty Cooper?", Chuck asked jokingly.

"Betty and I are just friends, that's all", Archie said.

"Sure, sure", Reggie said.

A few minutes later, Betty and Veronica walked over to Archie. Betty explained about how Cheryl had allowed both of them onto the cheerleading squad.

"She sure is the head bitch in charge", Veronica said.

Archie felt slightly angry about the insult referring to Cheryl, but he didn't show any emotion.

Cheryl then walked over.

"Hey, guys, let's play spin the bottle", she said.

"It's not really my type of game", Archie said as he was about to get up.

Reggie made him sit back down.

"Come on, Andrews. Let's have a little fun.", he said.

Archie surrendered. "Fine, go ahead."

Cheryl smiled.

"Okay, then. For the first round, I'll nominate 'A' for Archie."

Archie blushed, wishing he was anywhere else right now.

Cheryl spun the bottle. It moved for about twenty seconds before pointing right in Cheryl's direction.

"Archie and Cheryl!", Chuck shouted. "I never would have seen that coming!"

"Come on, Archie", Cheryl said as she grabbed Archie's arm. "It's all part of the game."

Archie and Cheryl walked into a storage closet.

"Remember, seven minutes!", Reggie yelled.

Cheryl rolled her eyes. "Boys will be boys."

"You know, I never would have imagined that our first kiss would have been in a storage closet. No offense or insult towards your place."

"Yeah, and our relationship just started a few hours ago", Cheryl said.

Archie hesitated before he lightly kissed Cheryl on the cheek.

Cheryl and Archie kissed on the lips. When that happened, Archie felt like the world had drastically changed. Before the summer started and Jason's demise, he wouldn't have cared for any romantic fling or relationship, never mind with Cheryl Blossom.

The two of them then started hugging each other, not daring to kiss each other for the rest of the night. Archie wanted to, but he felt like kissing right at that moment, didn't seem right. This relationship needed time to develop and dare he think it…blossom.

_Pun intended_, Archie thought as he felt Cheryl's hair near his chin.

Eventually the two redheads left the closet.

"How was your adventure in the closet?", Reggie asked jokingly.

"Stop it, Reggie", Archie said. "Show some class."

"Why don't you go next, Reggie, since you seem so eager", Cheryl said.

Reggie then nodded. "Fair enough."

Cheryl spun the bottle again. The bottle spun around for ten seconds before stopping to point right at Veronica.

"Oh, the new girl", Reggie said, smiling.

Veronica rolled her eyes in disgust as she and Reggie headed to the closet.

One hour later, the party was over. Archie and Cheryl smiled at each other for two seconds before Archie left for his house.

When he arrived on his block, he saw Betty Cooper, seemingly tearful.

"Betty, what's wrong?", Archie asked.

"I'm not going to ask what you and Cheryl did in that closet", Betty said. "But I am going to ask you straight if you love me at all, Archie, or even like me."

"Betty, of course I love you", Archie said. "You've been one of my closest friends. But I can't give you the most satisfying answer you want."

"Betty, I could never be good enough for you", Archie said. "You deserve a better person than me. Someone who will make you truly happy."

"It's not your fault, Archie", Betty said. "And I understand completely."

Archie nodded before walking inside the house. He felt terrible. He didn't know what to say. There was no question that Cheryl was the true love of his life. He wished it didn't have to be so awkward. It wasn't like he meant to hurt Betty. He just didn't have the same feelings for her.

Archie only hoped that should the day come where he would have to reveal his secret romance, he would be met with positive reception and feedback.

**Hours later, to the present time…**

Kevin Keller was pacing in his bedroom, going back and forth. He clearly couldn't think straight. He had a bottle of vodka that Moose had given him. Kevin drank from the bottle, trying to calm himself down.

"Kevin?", a voice asked. It was Tom Keller, Kevin's father and the sheriff.

"Dad, I'm not in the mood to talk right now", Kevin said.

Mr. Keller walked in and gasped when he saw the vodka Kevin was holding.

"Kevin, drinking alcohol is not going to erase your problems", Mr. Keller said as he took the bottle away.

"I just have a lot on my mind right now", Kevin said.

"What are you so worried about?"

Kevin stared at his father, not wanting to believe that they were even having this conversation.

"Hmm, let me think about it. I found a dead body of a high school student. And it wasn't like he committed suicide or died of a drug overdose. He was murdered. Yeah, that definitely isn't something to worry about."

Kevin said the last part with sarcasm.

Mr. Keller hugged his son, trying his best to offer him some comfort or support.

"Kevin, I know what you, Moose, and Midge discovered is traumatizing. It's terrible for anyone to find a dead body. Kevin, do you know how many criminals I've arrested for theft or vandalism or people I've arrested for street racing?"

Kevin looked at the ground.

"Have you arrested any murderers?", he asked.

Mr. Keller sighed. "Well, when I was working as a sheriff, I haven't arrested anyone for murder or manslaughter in Riverdale. Kevin, I know you'll be fine. What happened to Jason is a terrible tragedy. Someone sick enough to shoot him in the forehead and dump him in the river…"

Mr. Keller looked at Kevin straight in the eyes. "I'll catch the bastard that did this. And when I do, he'll wish he was dead instead."

**The next morning…**

Archie was shocked by the news about Jason's body being found. It was evident that not only was he dead, but someone in the town had murdered him.

Archie had to wonder who would be angry enough to want to kill an innocent teenager that did no wrong. It didn't seem right.

Archie texted Cheryl, _I hope you're doing okay._

Cheryl texted back, _I'll be fine. Meet me when we're alone, as soon as possible._

Archie walked to the school. The news about what just happened seemed to be spreading like wildfire.

Archie had read an article in the paper about Jason's autopsy. Archie already knew that Alice Cooper was the one who had written it. No one else seemed to have a bigger grudge against the Blossom family than she did.

He noticed Reggie and Chuck talking with each other in hushed tones.

"What's up?", he asked.

"Nothing", Reggie said. "Other than the big news about our quarterback. I wonder who will replace him."

"Football's not really important at the moment", Archie said. "Someone _died_, you know."

Reggie grunted, "Yeah, that's true."

"I got to get to class", Chuck said as he looked at his watch.

As Chuck moved away, Archie glanced at Reggie.

"The autopsy report that Mrs. Cooper wrote said that Jason apparently died around July 11th."

"Yeah", Reggie said. "And to think I was there and heard a gunshot."

"You _what_?!"

Several other students turned to look in their direction.

"Keep your voice down, Andrews! My dad would kill me if I got arrested", Reggie said.

"Sorry", Archie whispered. "But what do you mean by _you were there_?"

Reggie looked at the ground.

"Stupid Reggie", he muttered. "Don't know when to keep your stupid mouth shut."

"Too late now", Archie said. "So, what happened?"

Reggie sighed and looked at the ground.

"Remember when you said you saw me with Miss Grundy in the music room?"

"Yeah."

"Well, see, the thing is that the two of us hooked up", Reggie said. "I was jogging after football practice one day and Grundy pulled over in her car with those red sunglasses of hers. I just couldn't resist. I mean, Archie, she's hot!"

"Reggie, she's a _teacher_. I don't think it's even legal for you two to even be in a relationship."

"But, Archie, I think we might be getting serious."

"Look, you're a minor. She's too old for you. And anyway, what in the world happened when you said you heard a gunshot?"

Reggie sighed.

"Miss Grundy and I were having a picnic at Sweetwater River. We were kissing each other when I heard a gunshot. We didn't know what it was at the time, and we didn't care much about it."

"Reggie, you have to go to the police. You and Grundy need to confess!"

"Look, Archie, don't pressure me. I need some time."

Archie nodded as Reggie stormed off. If Reggie didn't tell the truth…Archie couldn't help but wonder if Cheryl would be in danger.

Archie headed to class, wishing he could get this day over with so he could speak with Cheryl.

**A few hours later…**

Betty and Veronica were practicing for the Pep Rally. Betty knew Cheryl was furious about what had happened to Jason. She knew it was best not to provoke her.

**Meanwhile…**

Kevin was still spooked about finding Jason's body. He didn't know how Moose was handling it. What was even more sickening was that whoever committed this murder was still out there, and no one even knew who it was.

**Hours later…**

After school, Archie headed to Thornhill as fast as he could. He had to speak with Cheryl and try to console her.

When Archie opened the door to Cheryl's bedroom, she hugged him, clearly sobbing and remorseful.

Archie kissed Cheryl on the forehead, trying to calm her down.

"Cheryl, it's going to be okay. You're safe, I've got you. You'll be all right."

Cheryl tried to relax in Archie's arms.


	4. A Touch of Evil

Chapter 4: A Touch of Evil

For a few minutes, Cheryl sobbed and whimpered as Archie hugged her tightly, holding her in her arms. He was protecting her, encircling her, showing her some form of affection or love during the worst time of her life. Archie didn't know what to say that could make her situation any better. He never was really able to witness a lot of death. Archie's grandfather, Artie, died before he was even born, during Fred's junior year. Archie was only three years old when his paternal uncle and Fred's older brother, Oscar Andrews, died in a car accident. Archie's grandmother, Virginia Andrews, died of cancer one year before Archie was born.

If something fatal would happen to Fred, Archie couldn't fathom what he would be able to do. He would probably not be able to eat or think properly for a few business days. But at least Archie would be able to talk to his mother, Mary, or Jughead. Betty lived right next door to Archie, so he could express his sorrow over that predicament. But Cheryl had no one to turn to. She was popular, rich, and on the honor roll. But she had no true friends, no one to trust and depend on. Archie didn't know how he would react if he was in her situation. He never had any siblings himself, so the experience of having a sister to trust and love was completely new to him. Archie knew that if he was in Cheryl's place, he would have lost his mind. Cheryl's parents looked down upon her and seemed to be the last people in the world that would offer comfort to their daughter. Clearly Cheryl would have traded all of her wealth just to have some love and compassion. Archie wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed and made mistakes, but he was capable of showing empathy and sympathy. He may not have been perfect at it, but he had to be given some credit. At least he was willing to be there for Cheryl.

Archie stroked Cheryl's hair, trying to think of the proper sentence to utter without looking like an insensitive idiot. He sometimes didn't know the right thing to say in a proper situation. But he would try his best.

"It just doesn't feel real", Cheryl said, with tears still dropping onto Archie's shirt.

"Cheryl, I don't know what to say", Archie said. "There's nothing I can do that would instantly heal the pain you are experiencing. I was never a counselor or advisor, and I am the least qualified for that job. No one should have to experience the pain and suffering you are going through right now. But I want to help you. I want to be there for you. I'll always be there for you. This world is just too cruel."

Cheryl kissed Archie's cheek. He continued holding her as she sobbed. He didn't know what else to do. He couldn't revive Jason from the dead. He couldn't hunt down the killer in an attempt to attain justice because he didn't have a clue in the slightest about who would do such a thing to an innocent teenager. Jason wasn't perfect. Archie knew this from personal experience, as the Riverdale Bulldogs sometimes acted obnoxious. But Jason didn't seem to care much about the amount of money he had.

Archie suddenly felt anger against the unknown killer, whoever he was. He had no right to murder Jason and cause Cheryl this pain she was feeling. Death was not something Archie would wish upon anyone, not even his worst enemy. But Archie would have loved to make an example out of the person who caused this problem.

"You don't deserve this, Cheryl", Archie said. "I'll do everything I can to help, whatever it takes."

"Thank you", Cheryl said as she slowly started to calm down, relaxing in Archie's arms.

"Cheryl, I have to get ready for the pep rally, okay? Sorry to have to rush things", Archie said.

He then kissed Cheryl's cheek.

"I'll be seeing you", she said, managing a tiny smile.

As Archie left the Blossom estate and headed back to his home, he had to wonder how he would find Jason's killer, whoever it was. A lot of people in Riverdale disliked the Blossom family, including his father. Anyone could have murdered him.

Archie was no detective, but he could easily try to rule out suspects. Reggie and Miss Grundy couldn't have been involved because they were together, even though they were at Sweetwater River. Hal Cooper could not have been responsible because even though he disliked the Blossoms, Archie had seen him in the backyard of the Cooper residence on July 4th. Archie wasn't so sure about Alice, but perhaps not even she would do something that low. Of course, he could never suspect Fred.

Archie walked back into his house and sighed. His basic investigating was getting himself nowhere.

What about the Kellers? Archie deduced it couldn't have been Kevin. The poor guy had been traumatized by the mere sight of Jason's body. He couldn't even attempt to murder someone. Archie wasn't so sure about Tom Keller, however. To be fair, Mr. Keller had nothing against the Blossoms, but that didn't mean there wasn't some old grudge or wound that had been inflicted.

Archie then thought about Marty Mantle, Reggie's father. Mr. Mantle was not exactly a pleasant person. That was putting it lightly. Mr. Mantle loved to yell and scream when things didn't go his way. Archie remembered back in fourth grade when he and Reggie were playing on the Riverdale Little League baseball team. Their team had lost the championship game by one run, even though they truly tried their best. It didn't matter to Mr. Mantle. He had screamed at the entire team for the loss and never even gave any of them any credit for their respective performances. Even though Reggie had gotten a home run during his first at-bat and a double during his second at-bat, Mr. Mantle still yelled at him for grounding out during his third at-bat. When Archie had flied out to center field in the fifth inning, Mr. Mantle had chewed him out for not hitting the ball properly.

Archie had always viewed Mr. Mantle with distaste. He couldn't help but wonder if Marty had somehow killed Jason so that Reggie could end up taking Jason's place as the starting quarterback on the Riverdale High School football team. It seemed like a wild theory, but anything was possible in this terrible situation.

Archie decided to concentrate on the game that would be taking place in a few hours. He only hoped that he could pull off a win.

"Hey, buddy", Fred said when he arrived home.

"Dad, I need to talk to you about something", Archie said.

"Sure, Archie", Fred said. "What is it?"

Archie looked at his father straight in the eyes and said, "Dad, do you know who killed Jason Blossom?"

Fred looked at the ground.

"I don't know for sure, Archie. It could have been anyone. None of the citizens of this town are innocent angels by any means, but I'm not going to accuse people without proper evidence."

"I was just asking because I'm worried about Cheryl", Archie said.

"It makes sense", Fred said. "I can understand your concern for her well-being. But we can't try to confront this murderer, whoever he is. It's too risky."

Archie nodded. "I understand, Dad."

"Looking forward to the game tonight?", Fred asked.

"Yes, Dad", Archie said. He suddenly seemed eager to change the subject and discuss something else.

A few hours later, Archie arrived at the Riverdale High School football field with the rest of the team. He knew he had to get his mind off of Jason's murder and focus on the game.

**Meanwhile…**

Cheryl Blossom was with the other cheerleaders, looking determined to make sure this pep rally went well. Baxter High School from Greendale had their own decent football team, but Cheryl was sure that Archie and the other Bulldogs could finish them off.

When no one was looking, Archie waved at Cheryl. She blew him a kiss, making sure no one was around to witness that.

For a while, everything seemed normal. Cheryl and the other cheerleaders did their routines, trying to concentrate on supporting the football team.

But when the Riverdale Bulldogs arrived on the field and Archie led the way, Cheryl thought she was seeing Jason for a minute.

It made her tear up. Broke her heart all over again.

Cheryl broke down in tears and ran towards the locker room, trying to hide her sorrows from the world.

**Meanwhile…**

"Guys, I'll be right back", Archie said.

"Andrews, where are you going?!", Coach Clayton exclaimed.

"I need to take care of something", Archie said as he headed to the locker room.

**Meanwhile…**

Cheryl was sobbing, wondering if she would ever feel happy again.

Just then she heard someone run in.

Cheryl was about to yell at the person and tell them to scram. But then she saw that it was Archie.

Archie hugged Cheryl tightly as she sobbed as hard as she could onto his uniform.

"He was supposed to come back", she said with sorrow. "He was supposed to return safely."

Archie patted Cheryl's hair, wishing he could do something to make her feel better. How could he possibly extinguish this pain she was holding inside of her?

"Cheryl, I'll always be there for you", he said. "You can count on me. You don't deserve this."

Just then Archie heard footsteps. He quickly pulled himself away from Cheryl.

"Archie, is everything all right?", Reggie asked.

"Yeah, I was just offering comfort to Cheryl", the redhead said.

Reggie looked confused for a brief second. But then he quickly changed his facial expressions.

"Fine", he said. "Let's just get back to the field. The game's about to start."

Archie looked at Cheryl with a loving glance before quickly heading back to the game.

The Riverdale Bulldogs won the game, 21-0. Archie had scored one of those touchdowns and played excellent offense to assist Reggie in scoring the other two touchdowns.

After the game, Archie texted Cheryl.

_Sorry I had to leave the locker room so abruptly_, he wrote. _I had to make sure that our romance remained a secret_.

_I understand_, Cheryl texted back. _We can keep this a secret however as long as you need it to. _

Archie's cell phone then rang. It was from his best buddy, Jughead Jones.

"Hey, pal", Jughead said. "So how are you feeling? You know, after winning the game?"

"Uh, I feel great", Archie lied. He knew the truth about how he was genuinely feeling, however. He still felt terrible that he couldn't help Cheryl properly.

"You think I could use Jason's death as an excuse to get out of gym class?", Jughead asked. "I could probably say, 'Sorry Coach, I'm just too freaked out and depressed right now to do pull ups.'"

Archie knew Jughead was being sarcastic, but he really didn't enjoy the joke that much.

"Dude, I wouldn't joke about Jason's death", Archie said. "Think about Cheryl. She seems so devastated and heartbroken."

"Since when do you care about Cheryl?", Jughead asked.

"I'm just trying to put things into perspective", Archie said. "She doesn't deserve this."

"Well, I have to go to bed. See you, Arch."

Archie turned his phone off and sighed as he went to bed.

The next day was far from harmonious.

Several members of the Riverdale High School football team were in the lounge.

Chuck was looking smug. "So, do any of you have a clue about who may have killed Jason?"

"No clue", Reggie said.

"What about you, Moose? What was it like finding the body?"

"Dude, I don't want to talk about it", Moose said. "It's bad enough for Midge and I, and it's even worse for Kevin."

"Let's think about it", Chuck said. "If a kid from Riverdale killed Jason, it's not going to be a jock right? No let's be honest. It's always some spooky, scrawny, pathetic internet troll too busy writing his manifestos to get laid. Some smug, moody, serial killer, fanboy freak…like Jughead, maybe?"

Jughead was only a few feet away from them and was listening to the conversation. Archie could tell when Jughead was angry or incensed. This certainly seemed to be one of those moments.

"What was it like, suicide squad?", Chuck asked. "When you killed Jason? Did you do stuff to the body afterwards?"

"That's enough, Chuck", Archie said sharply. "Leave him alone."

Chuck said, "Relax, Andrews. I was only joking."

Later, Archie was sitting in Biology with Cheryl. Just then someone knocked on the door. Archie was horrified to see that it was Tom Keller and the principal, Waldo Weatherbee.

"You're here for me, aren't you?", Cheryl asked. "Because of the autopsy?"

"We don't need to do this in front of your classmates, Cheryl", Mr. Weatherbee.

"It's all right, Principal Weatherbee", Cheryl said. "They'll find out soon enough."

Cheryl held up her wrists.

"That won't be necessary", Sheriff Keller said.

"Wait, Cheryl", Archie said. "Find out what?"

"That it's my fault", Cheryl said. "That I'm guilty."

Archie suddenly felt sick. He didn't know what he was going to do.


	5. Body Double

Chapter 5: Body Double

Even before Jason's death, Archie thought Cheryl seemed to have a tough life. Being rich in her case was a double-edged sword. She was isolated, her parents looked down on her, almost everyone was afraid to confront her. But Archie secretly knew that Cheryl was miserable, despite the limited interaction between them. He could read the warning signs and signals.

Did Cheryl deserve any of this? Of course not. But it wasn't like any of this was voluntary.

Hadn't the poor girl suffered enough? She already lost the one person she was closest to. She didn't need some sheriff who couldn't even track down the real culprit to interrogate her like she was some criminal.

No, this couldn't be actually happening.

Archie then stood up and said, "Sheriff Keller, surely you're making a mistake. There's no way Cheryl could have…"

"Archie, it would be best if you stayed out of this", Tom Keller said.

Archie watched with both horror and disbelief as Sheriff Keller and Mr. Weatherbee walked outside of the classroom with Cheryl.

When Cheryl reached the principal's office, Tom Keller got straight to the point.

"Cheryl, is there something you need to confess regarding your brother's murder? The autopsy says he died on July 11th."

"I didn't tell the truth about the events on July 4th. I lied."

Cheryl took a deep breath, knowing that she needed to confess.

"Jason wanted to run away and never return. He asked me to help him. We were going to fake his death. He was going to pretend that he fell in the river and drowned. We said goodbye once we reached Greendale. That was the last time I ever talked to him. He was going to contact me as soon as he was safely away from our parents. But he never did, even though he said it would take a month at the very maximum."

Mr. Keller seemed intrigued. Mr. Weatherbee was looking at the ground.

"We didn't tell anyone about the plan. I asked Jason to tell me why he wanted to do this. He refused to tell back then. He said he would tell me when he was away from Riverdale."

Tom Keller knew that Cheryl's parents weren't pleasant people. But how they treated Cheryl wasn't any of his business. Being verbally nasty to your child wasn't a punishable offense.

"On that morning, July 4th, we heard a gunshot. We didn't know what that meant."

"Why didn't you say anything about that sooner?", Tom asked. "I could have helped you."

"I just didn't think it was worth mentioning", Cheryl said. "It didn't seem like it was such a big deal. My brother was killed. Do you really think I would remember such a minor event?"

Just then, Clifford and Penelope walked inside the room.

Outside of the office, Archie watched as Cheryl walked outside with her parents. He already knew things would be unpleasant. He wished he could do something about it.

Archie ran down the hallway, hoping to find the person he was looking for. He noticed him taking a drink from the water fountain.

Archie grabbed him and pulled him into an empty classroom.

"What in the world, Archie?", Reggie asked.

"Look, Reggie, I need your help. Cheryl just got interrogated by Sheriff Keller. I need you to go the police about what you and Grundy saw."

"Archie, my dad will kill me if he finds out. Not to mention that Grundy would get into serious trouble."

"Then don't mention her", Archie said. "Just tell the truth about what you were doing at Sweetwater River and what you heard. Simply leave Grundy's name out of it."

"Sorry, Archie. Can't."

Archie looked at Reggie with pleading eyes.

"Please, Reggie, I'm _begging_ you. At least do this for Cheryl's sake. She needs someone to help her."

Reggie looked at him, seemingly deep in thought. Then an idea seemed to form in his head.

"Okay then", Reggie said. "I'll see if I can get Grundy to confess. But it will cost you."

"How much?", Archie asked, thinking he was going to hear something unpleasant.

"100 Dollars."

Archie took a deep breath. "Fine, I'll give you the money tonight. All of it, if you confess."

"Deal", Reggie said. "My dad will spank me for this, so the money is a consolation prize."

At the Blossom household, Cheryl was being berated by her parents.

"WHY THE HELL DID YOU NOT SAY ANYTHING SOONER?", Clifford shouted. "IS IT IN YOUR NATURE TO ACT LIKE AN IMPOTENT AND INJUDICIOUS IMBECILE?"

Cheryl merely said nothing, simply looking at the ground.

"Do you know how embarrassing it was to have to walk into that school in front of all those people?", Clifford asked. "Do you know what people will be saying about you and our family in the newspaper and in gossip? You have embarrassed us and put us to shame."

Penelope looked at Cheryl with disgust.

"You never think. You always act rashly and we have to deal with your stupidity and ignorance. It's getting out of control."

Nana Rose looked at Cheryl with sympathy. At least not all of her surviving family members were heartless.

Meanwhile, at the Andrews household, Archie pulled out a box in which he had put his allowance. He had spent the summer mowing lawns for his neighbors, hoping to save up enough money to buy a car.

He didn't want to have to relinquish 100 dollars.

He looked at the money and hesitated.

_Remember, you're doing this for Cheryl,_ Archie thought. _Trust Reggie Mantle to get monetary gain for telling the truth_.

Archie met Reggie at Pop's.

"You have the money?", Reggie asked.

Archie gave him the 100 dollars.

"I did my part. Now you have to fulfill your end of the deal."

Reggie nodded. "Fine. My dad is going to beat my ass when he hears about this."

But then he looked at Archie with curiosity.

"If I may ask, why are you doing this? And why for Cheryl?"

Archie sighed. He needed to tell _someone_ his secret.

"Reggie, Cheryl and I spent a lot of time together this summer. We started dating recently. Dude, I'm in love with her. And nothing will ever change that, regardless of what anyone else thinks."

"Whoa", Reggie said. "Does anyone else know?"

"So far, you're the first person I've told. For now, I'm sincerely asking you to keep this a secret."

"That explains why you wanted to help her so badly", Reggie said. "Okay, I'll keep your secret. I'll go ask Grundy for her cooperation right now."

Reggie decided to visit Miss Grundy. Hopefully she would be compliant.

He knocked on her door.

Grundy opened the door, smiling when she saw him.

"Reggie, what a surprise", she said.

Reggie kissed her on her cheek.

Grundy kissed him on the lips.

"So, what can I do for you?"

"I think we should go to the police", Reggie said. "We both heard that gunshot at the river. The police might find out sooner or later anyway. They're too smart."

"It's took risky", Grundy said. "If anyone heard that we were both there, they would put two and two together, and we would both be in trouble. Both of our lives would be tarnished."

"Sorry, Mrs. Grundy, but I'm going to the police", Reggie said.

"It will be the end of our romantic fling", Mrs. Grundy said.

"Some things need to be sacrificed for the greater good", Reggie said. "I won't mention your name."

He went straight to Sheriff Keller's office, with Archie watching from a close distance.

Reggie knocked on the door.

"Come in", Sheriff Keller said.

Reggie walked inside.

"I think I have something that can help with the case regarding Jason's death. Cheryl Blossom said she heard a gunshot. I heard that gunshot as well. I was there at Sweetwater River that morning."

Tom Keller stood up straighter in his chair, clearly intrigued by this new information.

"Tell me more."

"Well, I thought Jason had drowned, so I kept my mouth shut. I didn't think it was important to say anything. But then, I found out later about the mode of his death later from that autopsy…"

"May I ask why you were even at Sweetwater River so early in the morning?", Mr. Keller interrupted.

"I was jogging", Reggie said. "Since football season is coming up, I wanted to get in quick shape."

"Did you see who was holding the gun? Who pulled the trigger?"

"That I didn't see. It must have occurred from a distance."

"Were you alone?", Mr. Keller asked.

"Yes."

Reggie walked out of the office. Archie hugged him hard.

"Thank you so much, dude!"

"Let go of me, Andrews. We are in public, in case you haven't noticed."

Archie let go of Reggie.

"I'll just text my dad that I'll be coming home late", Archie said. "Reggie, you want to spend some time with Cheryl?"

"Why would I do that?"

An idea was forming in Archie's head. He was thinking of a plan.

"People would figure things out too quickly if I was seen in public with Cheryl. However, if you were with us, nobody would even think romance is even in the picture."

"But _why_ would I be with you and Cheryl?", Reggie asked.

"Because she can tutor us in English", Archie said. "She had a perfect GPA. A 4.0. Straight As. My English work is mediocre, at best. I barely passed the English final exam last year. And I know your work in English needs improvement."

"It does not!", Reggie exclaimed.

"Reggie, I know you got a C+ in English. Wasn't your dad really pissed about that? Think about this, bro. It's beneficial for both of us. I get to spend time with Cheryl in public, our English scores would improve, your dad wouldn't yell at you or hit you as often."

Reggie nodded. "Now you're speaking my language."

The two boys walked to the Blossom estate.

They found out that both Blossom parents were in town from Nana Rose, probably trying to improve their tarnished image. Not that their image was ever delightful to being with.

Archie and Reggie walked into Cheryl's room.

"Cheryl", Archie said as he hugged her. "I wanted to help you so badly. I really did."

Cheryl relaxed in her boyfriend's embrace, seeing his love-filled eyes.

Then she noticed Reggie.

"Archie, did…"

"Yeah, Reggie knows. He's the first person I've told."

"Archie had to give me 100 dollars so I could tell the police what I knew", Reggie said. "This will help you slightly. Now Keller can't keep questioning you."

"Thank you so much, Archie!", Cheryl exclaimed as she kissed Archie's cheek.

"It was worth it, Cheryl. I have a plan. People are going to wonder why the three of us are hanging out in public. So, I'm going to tell them that you are tutoring us in English. It would be a reasonable excuse since you're the smartest student in our class, and Reggie and I both need to improve our skills in English."

"Sounds good", Cheryl said.

"We should go to Pop's. You could teach us there."

The three of them walked to Pop's, making sure to avoid getting recognized.

At Pop's, Archie ordered burgers and milkshakes for the three of them.

"Okay, Archie", Cheryl said. "During our sophomore year, we'll be reading a lot of Shakespeare and his writings. Can you name a quote from _Romeo and Juliet_, probably his most famous play?"

Archie thought for a couple of minutes.

Then he said, "To be or not to be, that is the question…"

"That was from _Hamlet_", Cheryl corrected him.

"This may be harder than I thought", Reggie said.

"Our work is cut out for us", Archie said. "Cheryl will tutor us as we try to remember events from the plays. By the time we gain enough insight, Cheryl and I will both be ready to tell people about our romance."

"Okay, Reggie", Cheryl said. "What were the names of the two families that were fighting each other in _Romeo and Juliet_?"

Reggie scrunched his forehead.

"Don't remember", he said.

"The Capulets and the Montagues", Cheryl said for clarification.

"Romeo was a member of the Montagues, and Juliet was a member of the Capulets."

Archie couldn't help but wonder if his romance with Cheryl was like the relationship with Romeo and Juliet. After all, Fred disliked the Blossoms. The Blossoms certainly looked down on the Andrews family for their middle-class appearance. Although to be fair, most of the people in town disliked the Blossoms.

After one hour of tutoring, Archie then said to Cheryl, "Maybe it's time we tell my dad about our relationship? He seems to be more understanding than most of the people in town."

"Sounds good", Cheryl said.

Archie, Reggie, and Cheryl then headed to the Andrews household.

"Hey buddy", Fred said when he saw Archie. He smiled politely at Cheryl and Reggie.

"Dad, there's something I need to tell you", Archie said.

"What is it? You can tell me."

"Cheryl and I are dating", Archie said. "We've been in love with each other, and I just wanted you to know about this. Do you approve?"

"Archie, of course I do", Fred said. "Whatever makes you happy."

Cheryl squealed and hugged Fred tightly.

"Thank you, thank you!", she exclaimed.

"Cheryl's also tutoring us in English", Archie said. "It's an excuse if anyone sees the three of us together."

"Sounds like a good plan", Fred said.

Archie only hoped that nothing would go wrong now.


	6. Try New Things

Chapter 6: Try New Things

Archie was pleased that Fred approved of his and Cheryl's relationship. It felt easier to breathe now that others were becoming aware of this new romance. Still, Archie had to keep this relationship a secret for as long as he possibly could. It would be the best option in that current situation.

Archie kissed Cheryl goodnight and they decided to text each other the following day. They hugged each other so tightly. Archie was holding on to Cheryl and smelling her hair at the same time.

Cheryl's parents seemed determined to ignore her for as much as they possibly could. It was irritating, but it seemed better than getting berated and ostracized. At school the following day, Cheryl winked at Archie as they passed each other in the hallways. Archie winked back.

Archie hadn't spoken to Betty since their conversation after Cheryl's party. He didn't know what to say to make their awkward situation any better. He knew that he would have to do something to make restitution for their argument. What could he tell her? That he didn't have those same feelings for her? That he was in love with someone else? Never mind that the person he was in love with was someone Betty loathed. This certainly was a situation that he would much rather have avoided.

He decided he would have to speak with Betty privately about the matter. After third period, he saw Betty talking with Veronica.

"Veronica, you don't mind if I speak with Betty for a few minutes?", Archie asked.

"Sure", Veronica said. "Go ahead."

Archie pulled Betty into an empty classroom.

"Betty, we need to talk", Archie said.

"I agree", Betty said. "Look, about the other day, I'm sorry. I never intended for you to have feelings about me you didn't have."

"Betty, I totally understand. It isn't your fault. You know, we've been friends since childhood. You should never be afraid to tell me anything."

Betty smiled, then hugged Archie tightly. As Archie embraced her back, he noticed Cheryl watching through the window. She then walked away from the window angrily.

"I've got to get going", Archie said. He then headed to his next class.

Archie texted Cheryl, _I was just comforting Betty like a friend would. It wouldn't be suspicious since we've been friends for a long time._

After school, Archie headed to the Blossom residence. He headed to Cheryl's room and saw Cheryl sitting on the bed, looking upset.

"Cheryl", Archie began. "I hope you're not upset about my meeting with Betty. She needed some comfort. We didn't speak since our conversation after your party. Talking with her would not look suspicious in the slightest."

"I know", Cheryl said. She then sighed. "I wish we could have moments like that."

"But we can't have any publicly", Archie said. "At least not yet."

Then, an idea seemed to be forming in Archie's head.

"You know, my dad always wanted to go fishing with me", Archie said. "Maybe I can take him up on his offer. Maybe you can come with us, if you want."

"Really?", Cheryl asked. "But I've never gone fishing before."

Cheryl didn't say it, but Archie was pretty sure that Clifford and Penelope didn't even consider taking their daughter fishing. Archie knew what he had to do.

"There's a first time for everything", Archie said. "If you came fishing with my dad, I'm sure you would have fun. You should try new things."

Cheryl nodded. "Fine. We'll go fishing. This weekend."

"Sounds good", Archie said.

Archie headed back home. When he was there, Fred was busy assembling his tools.

"Hey dad", Archie said. "How is everything?"

"Everything's fine", Fred said. "I was talking with Hermione Lodge. Her daughter, Veronica, is currently attending Riverdale High School."

"I've talked to her", Archie said. "Dad, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, Archie", Fred said. "What is it?"

Archie then said, "Can we go fishing this weekend? And can Cheryl come with us?"

"Sure", Fred said. "It might be a fun experience for her. I remember taking you fishing with Oscar and Frank when you were two years old…"

Fred's voice trailed off after mentioning his brothers. Archie wished he could say something to comfort him. When Oscar had been killed in that car accident, Fred hadn't talked to anyone in over a week, according to Mary. He was too heartbroken and filled with grief. Frank had left Riverdale and Fred had no knowledge of where he was currently.

Archie then decided to change the subject. "Cheryl will love fishing. We should find a river in Greendale to fish at. That way, no one from Riverdale will see us."

"Sounds like a good plan", Fred said.

The rest of the week passed by like seconds. Archie and Reggie went over to the Blossom estate to be tutored by Cheryl every chance they got. The experience was rewarding, no doubt.

Finally, Saturday arrived. Cheryl arrived at the Andrews household to go fishing with Fred and Archie. Archie had all the fishing gear and equipment in the back of Fred's truck.

"This will be a fun experience", Archie said.

When the truck reached Greendale, Archie pulled the equipment out of the truck. Archie then threw the fishing rod into the river. Cheryl and Fred threw their rods into the river as well.

Twenty minutes passed without much activity.

"Here's a suggestion", Fred said. "How about putting some bread as bait on the fishing rod. This will catch the attention of the fish."

Archie and Cheryl listened to his suggestion and used the bread to lure in some fish. Sure enough, one of the fish started biting Cheryl's fishing rod.

"I think I got one!", Cheryl shouted.

"Here, let me help you", Archie said as he gripped her arms. His touch felt so comforting to Cheryl. It felt wonderful to spend time with him when their relationship had to be kept a secret in Riverdale.

It felt so wonderful and so amazing. There was no doubt that Cheryl felt sheltered and jovial when Archie was there to assist her. It truly was a pleasant experience.

A minute later, the fish came out of the water, with its mouth stuck on the fishing rod.

Fred caught four fish within the next thirty minutes. Archie caught three fish. Cheryl caught one more fish. After they were finished, Fred put all of the fish inside the truck.

"Cheryl, maybe you want to eat dinner with us?", Fred asked.

"Sure", Cheryl said. She knew that her parents didn't seem to care about her, so she didn't ask them about that once she arrived back in Riverdale.

Dinner at the Andrews household was certainly enjoyable. Cheryl was clearly feeling happier than she did when Penelope was yelling at her or when Jason went missing.

Still, Archie had to wonder who would murder Jason. The killer was still out there in some unknown location. Archie would have loved to murder the killer with his bare hands after causing Cheryl this amount of pain.

The fish tasted wonderful, no doubt about that.

"You know something, Archie", Cheryl said. "Maybe I can teach you about archery."

"Archery?", Archie asked, smiling slightly.

"Yes", Cheryl said. "Archery is a sport that traces back over 60,000 years."

"Please", Archie scoffed. "Archery doesn't count as a real sport."

"Actually, it does", Fred said. "Archery was turned into a modern sport in the 1840s. Competitive archery in the United States is operated by the USA Archery and National Field Archery Association."

"You learn something new every day, I guess", Archie said. "But I still think archery is overrated."

"Maybe you should come by Thornhill tomorrow", Cheryl said. "I can show you the basics of archery and give you pointers."

"Fine", Archie said. He then rolled his eyes.

Still, the idea of spending more time with Cheryl was certainly enthralling.

The following day was Sunday. Archie and his family weren't really religious. Still, it felt strange to be spending time with Cheryl on a Sunday. Fred had given his permission, but Archie had to wonder if he was making a wise decision.

Archie shook his head as he headed to Thornhill. He was being too paranoid.

Archie headed to Cheryl's backyard. She was waiting for him, holding her bow and arrow. Archie could see several targets in the background.

"Hello Archie", Cheryl said, smiling.

"Let's see what makes archery so challenging", Archie said. He then grabbed the bow and arrow.

Archie tried to point the arrow at one of the targets.

"You need to correct your stance", Cheryl said. "Try moving your shoulders down and moving your arms backward. You should also make sure your feet are drawing a line making a 90-degree angle towards the target."

Archie tried to correct his stance, then he released the arrow. It came nowhere near the target.

"This really sucks", Archie said.

"Don't worry, you'll get better", Cheryl said. "You just have to practice it. Here, let me help you."

Cheryl got behind Archie so she could move his arms in a more convenient position to fire the arrow. Her touch made Archie feel warm inside.

Cheryl found herself within centimeters of Archie's face. She leaned over and kissed him. He then started kissing her.

"We should probably get back to archery after this", Archie said as he kissed her cheek.

Cheryl then kissed Archie's cheek. The two of them continued kissing. Everything seemed to be fine until…

"CHERYL? ARCHIE?"

Cheryl and Archie quickly stopped kissing and turned to see who had said that.

It was Kevin Keller.


	7. Pending

Chapter 7: Pending

"CHERYL? ARCHIE?"

Cheryl and Archie turned to see Kevin Keller looking at them, clearly stunned.

Archie quickly broke away from Cheryl.

"Kevin!", Archie exclaimed, trying to alleviate the situation. "What a surprise seeing you here. Let me explain what we were doing. You see, Cheryl and I have been dating each other secretly for some time now and we didn't want a lot of people knowing about it."

Kevin chuckled.

"Relax, Archie. I'm not going to reveal your secret. As long as you two are happy together, that's all that matters."

Archie took a deep breath, filled with relief. He noticed that Cheryl also had a relieved expression.

"So, who else knows about this?", Kevin asked.

"The only ones that know so far are you, Reggie, and my dad", Archie said. "Cheryl and I have a strategy to make sure no one else knows about our secret romance. Reggie and I are going to get tutoring lessons about English from Cheryl. It would make sense since Cheryl has the highest GPA by far in our entire class."

Kevin smiled. "Well, that's sounds like a smart plan. I'm so happy for you two. I didn't expect this because last year you said you had no interest in pursuing a romantic relationship."

"Well, that's true", Archie admitted. "I was so focused on football and my studies. Romance would have been a distraction. But that changed when I realized that Cheryl and I have more in common than we think. Kevin, I'm crazy about her now. I love her."

"I feel the same way about Archie", Cheryl said.

"Like I said before, I'll keep your secret", Kevin said. "Cheryl, I came here because I wanted to express my condolences for your loss. Your brother deserved better."

"Thank you, Kevin", Cheryl said.

Archie knew he hadn't talked often with Kevin after he had discovered Jason's body in Sweetwater River. He felt guilty for not reaching out to him and offering him support.

"Kevin, I hope you're doing okay", Archie said. "I should have said something to make you feel better after…what you went through. No one should ever have to go through that."

Kevin said, "Thank you, Archie. It isn't your fault. This is what I get for walking through the woods and alongside Sweetwater River late at night."

"Kevin, this isn't your fault", Archie said. "Cheryl and I will be there for you if you need anything. It's a painful experience."

Kevin nodded. "Well, I better get going. Good luck, you two."

"Same, Kevin", Archie said.

After Kevin left, Archie and Cheryl continued practicing archery. Archie's next three arrows didn't come anywhere close to the target. But the arrow after that hit the edge of the target.

"Your archery skills are getting better", Cheryl said. "But you still need to correct your stance."

Cheryl then wrapped her arms around Archie in order to position his arms in a proper and adequate position. When Cheryl felt like Archie was standing in a reasonable and proper position, she let go of him and decided to let him have another shot.

Archie pulled the string back and timed it carefully. Then, he released the arrow.

It went straight into the center of the target. A perfect hit!

Archie couldn't believe it. He was so ecstatic that he finally had a perfectly clean shot.

Cheryl hugged him tightly, clearly happy for him.

"I can't believe I actually did it", Archie said.

"I knew you could do it", Cheryl replied. "Just keep practicing and you will eventually get the hang of it."

Archie smiled at Cheryl. He clearly knew that she was clearly more happy spending time with him than with her parents.

"You know, the first game of the Riverdale Bulldogs football season is coming up", Archie said. "We need to conjure up some kind of a code. Some sort of communication or secret signal between the two of us that no one else knows. Well, maybe except for Reggie."

"I like that idea, Archie", Cheryl said. "What kind of signal should it be, though?"

Archie tried to think. Then, he came up with the solution.

"One of my paternal uncles, Oscar, died when I was just three years old. I have old videos in our attic that showed him going hunting with my dad and my other paternal uncle, Frank. Uncle Oscar had some kind of a whistling signal that would be a sign that he had found something that could be brought home. I'll call Reggie and all three of us can watch the videos together."

"A brilliant strategy", Cheryl said.

Archie called Reggie on his cell phone and described the plan.

"Sounds like ingenuity", Reggie said. "I'll come over to your place as soon as I can."

"Actually, come to the Blossom estate", Archie said. "If Cheryl and I are seen together in public by ourselves, it will arouse and provoke suspicion. But if you come with us on the other hand, everyone will think Cheryl is tutoring us."

"Okay, then", Reggie said. "Fair enough."

Archie and Cheryl then waited for Reggie to arrive. Archie knew that Reggie was known to be a slacker and sometimes would be late for class. It wouldn't have surprised him if Reggie showed up late for their meeting.

"Do you think that Reggie's dad hit him?", Cheryl asked.

"There's no way to be certain", Archie said. "Personally, that wouldn't shock me, but I don't want to get involved. It's none of my business."

"I wish my dad was like your dad", Cheryl said.

Archie nodded. He knew his dad was one of the few people in Riverdale who seemed normal and pleasant. Even though Archie and Fred had argued at times, they always seemed to be able to make up and resolve any issues between them. Fred clearly loved Archie, even more than Archie loved Fred, so it seemed. Archie felt so guilty for not having appreciated Fred's sacrifices and endeavors for him. He only hoped that someday he would be able to return the favor.

"But I'm sure there were some good memories that you made with your dad", Archie said.

Cheryl looked at the ground. "He and my mother were always vulgar and nasty. I have the worst family in the world."

"But you're rich, though", Archie said. "Don't you enjoy all that wealth though?"

"Like I said before, Archie", Cheryl said. "I don't care about all of that. The money isn't what I want or need. I just want to be valued. That is something my parents have never done. You on the other hand, have recognized my worth in this world."

"Cheryl, I would do anything to help you", Archie said.

Just then Reggie arrived, huffing and panting.

"Sorry I'm late", he said. "I guess we better get going."

All three of them started walking towards Archie's house. As they were on their way, Archie checked in all directions to make sure there wasn't anyone in the streets that they recognized. The last thing he needed was to unfortunately run into someone that would bother them with questions. That was something that none of them needed. Archie only hoped that Betty wouldn't be seeing what they were up to.

All three of them decided to walk into the Andrews household through the back to avoid recognition. Archie figured the best plan of action would be to watch the tapes in the basement, where no one could see them because the windows were so small.

Archie opened the box containing all of the tapes. He decided to put the earliest tape into video cassette recorder.

The tape was thirty minutes long. Even though Archie didn't remember any memories of his uncle Oscar because he had been so young when the latter died, he could see through the videos why Fred respected him. According to Mary, Oscar had always been there for Fred and Frank. He really was a protective older brother. Archie didn't have any siblings of his own, so he didn't know what that was like.

_But I can still be protective over Cheryl_, Archie thought. _I could still look out for her and be there for her._

There was no question that looking out for Cheryl was now his responsibility. With Jason now dead, Cheryl had lost the only person in her family that truly seemed to care about her, excluding Nana Rose. Clifford and Penelope obviously seemed indifferent about their daughter's well-being. They clearly didn't seem to care about Cheryl.

_Well, I do_, Archie thought. _I won't give up on her._

As the video continued, Archie continued writing down various signals that Oscar was showing to Fred and Frank. He only hoped he could memorize them. Even when he had given maximum effort to memorize information for his exams, there were times when he had trouble remembering information.

"Your uncles seemed like nice people", Cheryl said.

"Yeah", Archie said. To this day, he still didn't know why Frank had left Riverdale. Fred never explained what had happened between himself and Frank. The past seemed to be too painful for them.

"Anyway, I have all the signals written down", Archie said. "Now we'll just have to have a code to represent each signal."

"Okay, then", Reggie said.

"If I whistle and put my fingers in front of my mouth", Archie explained, "It means that I am trying to kiss you, Cheryl."

Archie then pointed his finger at another signal that was on that page. "Oscar showed a signal in the video about putting the entire right hand in front of the heart. In our coded language, it will mean that I love you."

"I already know that you do, Archie", Cheryl said.

"A coded language will be necessary, especially in this example", Archie said. "I don't remember much from history classes in the past, but I remember studying about World War II during United States history in ninth grade. Apparently, the United States marines used a Native American language called the Navajo code to communicate with their allies during war. It was also used to prevent the opposing side from finding out about their plans."

"Sounds great", Cheryl said.

"I look forward to the day when we can publicly proclaim our love to each other", Archie said. "But we need to be cautious in the meantime. You two should probably take pictures of these codes and save them on your cell phones."

Cheryl and Reggie took pictures of the codes.

After they left, Archie put his head in his hands. He could only wonder how much longer he could keep this going.

As the days passed that week, Cheryl's parents mostly ignored her. Cheryl almost wished they would yell at her again. That had to be better than the silent treatment they were giving her.

On Monday, Archie knocked on Coach Clayton's office door.

"Come in", Coach Clayton said.

Archie walked inside the room holding Jason's jersey.

"Coach, I need to speak to you about Jason's jersey."

"Go ahead, Archie. What is it you need to tell me?"

Archie took a deep breath. He hardly ever confronted Coach Clayton, never mind to criticize a decision he made.

"Coach Clayton, we should retire Jason's number", Archie said. "I know you said I could wear his jersey, but it would not be right to ignore Jason's involvement with this team. He was the captain and contributed an immense amount of talent and accolades for this team. Coach, we have to honor Jason. He was the reason our team performed the way we did last season. His life was cut short. We need to show him respect."

Coach Clayton nodded his head, seemingly in agreement.

"That seemed like a wise decision. It's the right thing to do. It's a good moral, Archie", he said.

Archie walked out of the room, feeling slightly jubilant by his decision. He then texted Cheryl, _I talked to Coach Clayton and he seems to agree that Jason's number should be retired. Your brother's memory is being honored. _

Archie walked down the hallway and noticed Cheryl walking out of her biology class. She was looking at her cell phone and saw Archie's message.

Cheryl smiled and texted, _That's great. Thank you, Archiekins._

Archie heaved a sigh of relief.

He then texted Reggie.

**AA: I have a free period during fifth period. Maybe Cheryl can tutor us in the library then.**

**RM: Sounds good. If anyone asks us any questions, we'll just tell them our cover story. **

Archie attended his classes that day, trying to be as diligent as possible. It was hard for Archie to not think of the anticipation of seeing Cheryl in the library and studying with her.

When fifth period started, Archie headed to the library. He sat down at one of the tables and started reading his copy of _Hamlet_. Two minutes later, Reggie and Cheryl arrived.

"So, Archie", Cheryl began. "Can you describe the plot of _Hamlet_ in only five sentences?"

Archie then replied, "_Hamlet_ is a play written by William Shakespeare in 1600 that depicts the story of a prince whose father was slaughtered by the prince's paternal uncle. The main protagonist is Prince Hamlet of Denmark. Hamlet concocts a plan for revenge against his uncle Claudius for murdering his father. The play follows his plan as he attempts to cause Claudius to feel remorse or guilt, though he already knows that Claudius is indifferent. Hamlet's hatred and desire for revenge cause a lot of individuals within their proximity to lose their lives."

"Well said, Archie", Cheryl said.

Then she whispered, "_Archiekins._"

Cheryl then turned to Reggie. "Reggie, did you memorize the definitions this week?"

"Yes", Reggie said. "Audacity means that someone is willing to take bold risks. Retract means to withdraw a statement as untrue. Nefarious means wicked or criminal. Paucity means…."

Reggie tried to think. It was obvious he was frustrated and did not remember the definition of the last word he had mentioned.

Cheryl then answered, "Paucity means that something is very rare and unique to find in a specific location."

Reggie hung his head. "It looks hopeless for me."

"Don't worry, Reggie. We all will have a chance. There's plenty of room for improvement regarding our studies. But we'll be fine."

Cheryl and Archie held each other's hands underneath the table for a few seconds.

All of a sudden, Betty walked into the library and saw Archie, Reggie, and Cheryl together at that table.

Betty quickly approached the table.

"What is happening here?", she asked.

"Cheryl is tutoring us in English", Archie said.

Betty scoffed. "Do you really believe that Cheryl is going to help you without having an ulterior motive? Cheryl has always been sneaky and conniving. She only cares about herself. She's a bitch."

Archie glanced at Cheryl. She looked down at the ground. It looked like she was about to cry.

Archie's fists clenched as he thought about Betty's invectives towards Cheryl.

"You don't have a right to say those things about Cheryl", Archie said. "You don't know what she's been through."

Betty looked at Archie. "Do you know what Cheryl is like? You shouldn't be around her. She's a bad influence."

Archie felt himself getting angrier. Betty may have been a childhood friend of his, but she was starting to act really judgmental.

"You don't have to dictate whom I can or can't associate with", he said. "I can make my own decisions."

Archie then raised his voice.

"AND STOP SLANDERING CHERYL!", he screamed.

Archie then realized that everyone in the library was now looking at him and Betty.

Betty had tears in her eyes as she stormed off.

"You didn't have to do that, Archie", Cheryl said.

Archie sat down. He couldn't believe what he had just done.

"I think I screwed up", Archie said. "I may have lost my childhood friend over a stupid argument."

"Friends come and they go", Reggie said, now starting to seem indifferent. "Anyway, I miss hanging out with Grundy."

"Are you still obsessing over her?", Archie asked. "Reggie, she's a bad influence. Not to mention she's a predator."

"Now look who's being judgmental", Reggie said. "She's so good-looking. You just need to know a person better to appreciate them more. I mean, look at you and Cheryl."

"The relationship between Cheryl and I is different from the relationship between you and Grundy", Archie said. "If you can even call the latter a relationship."

"Still", Reggie said. "You have to admit that Grundy seems so innocent and encouraging. I was thinking about the football season, and Grundy was giving me pointers."

Archie and Cheryl briefly glanced at each other. There was something fishy about Grundy and her backstory. And they suddenly both were curious enough to try to find out what it was.


	8. Background Information

Chapter 8: Background Information

Archie felt like such an idiot.

He wanted to defend Cheryl, but he hadn't done it in a peaceful manner. He knew he would have to control his temper if he hoped to preserve his friendships in the future. But how he could just sit idly by when people were insulting his girlfriend?

But then he remembered. If he wanted to keep the secret about him and Cheryl dating to be a secret, he would have to keep his mouth shut and hold his tongue when people were insulting or judging Cheryl.

The tongue indeed was a lethal weapon. It was so small, yet it could cause pain and hurt people with simple words. The worst part is, once those words were spoken, they couldn't ever be taken back.

Archie felt bad the rest of the day. He later saw Betty sitting with Veronica in the lounge. When Betty saw Archie, she immediately walked away briskly and angrily.

Archie sat down in the lounge for a few minutes, trying to think about how he could somehow make things right. He then walked to the music room.

Archie sat down in the music room and pulled out his guitar. He randomly played a few strings, trying to think. He hadn't made any songs, but he was totally fine with simply playing strings and just thinking.

Then, the door opened. Archie looked to see Cheryl walk in.

"Hello, Archiekins", Cheryl said. She wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace.

"Hello, Cheryl."

"I wanted to say that I was flattered that you defended me publicly", Cheryl said.

"I should have done it in a different manner", Archie said. "Betty and I have been friends for as long as we can remember. I remember we spent so much time together as children, along with Jughead."

"You can talk to me about that", Cheryl said, ruffling Archie's hair for a few seconds. "What did you do for fun with her?"

"We listened to some old records that my dad had kept in the garage", Archie said. "Betty also tutored me during first grade and second grade. She helped me with reading and with math. I came close to failing, but thanks to her I got through it."

"Wow", Cheryl said, smiling.

"After I passed my final test in second grade, I got down on one knee asked her to marry me. She then said to wait until we both turned eighteen years old."

"That's an interesting story", Cheryl said, unable to stop grinning.

"I messed up", Archie said. "I need to apologize to her. I just wish she would accept you, though. If only she would realize how amazing you are."

"Well, I may not have treated her the way I should have", Cheryl said. "Throughout most of my childhood, I have lashed out in anger at people that didn't deserve that treatment. People that deserved better."

Archie took Cheryl's hand. "Don't be so hard on yourself. I know why you were angry for all of those years. No one was there to help you. Until last summer."

Cheryl looked at the ground.

Archie held her face in both of his hands. "Cheryl, listen to me. I know that your heart is pure. You've been through so much. You're a strong person."

Cheryl smiled at him.

"Besides, I'll teach you about manners and proper etiquette with other students. Maybe, when the time is right, I'll see if you can hang out with my friends. Like Jughead, for instance."

Cheryl gave him a smirk with a knowing glance. "I wonder what other things you can teach me…"

She moved her hand down his right arm.

"I'm looking forward to that", Archie said. "But first, I'm afraid we have more troubling matters to discuss. It's about Miss Grundy and her origins. And why she has such interest in being intimate with Reggie Mantle."

"We could try using the internet", Cheryl said. "We could probably find old photos of her or some records of the high school she attended."

"Perhaps."

Archie then said, "Let's meet at my house. I'll use my laptop to find out more information about Grundy."

Archie and Cheryl headed to the Andrews household, both making sure not to run into anyone that would recognize them. Archie knew he couldn't keep living in fear. If he truly loved Cheryl, he would have to boldly proclaim his love for her. But if anyone else found out they were a couple, there would be much confusion and ridicule. Archie certainly didn't want to make himself look bad. But he also wanted to be able to tell people about his romance with Cheryl without any hesitation or dubiety. If he wanted to deserve Cheryl and the relationship with her, he would have to acknowledge his feelings for her.

Archie tried not to think about it. Right now, he needed to find out about Grundy's history.

Archie typed her name online in a search box. He was able to find her Twitter account. He also found her Instagram account, which was private. He saw her Facebook account, as well as her Linkedln account. All of her accounts on these social media platforms were clearly new, seemingly to have not even been around for six months.

"There's nothing that seems to suggest that she's even real", Archie said. "For all we know, she could have killed Jason."

"That seems to be a strange possibility, but I guess anything is possible", Cheryl said.

Archie found the photo of an old woman who had the same name.

"This is quite strange", he said.

Archie put his head in his hands. Cheryl put her arm around his shoulder.

"I think Reggie might be in trouble", he said. "I'm not saying Grundy might have been the person responsible for Jason's death. But it is obvious that she can't ever be trusted. How do we know she didn't steal that old woman's identity?"

"What should we do?", Cheryl asked.

Archie looked at her squarely in the eyes and sighed. "I can't believe I'm even saying this, but I think we should break into her house or car and try to find some evidence."

"We'll have to do this late at night", Cheryl said.

Archie kissed her on the forehead and escorted her back to Thornhill. He had to make sure that no one saw them or noticed them.

That night, Archie put on dark clothing and brought a mask along so no one else would spot them. Cheryl waited until her parents were asleep. Once that happened, she decided to sneak out the window to help Archie. He waited by the window to put her safely on the ground.

Archie and Cheryl ran as quickly as they could towards Grundy's house. He had to take a couple of shortcuts to avoid being spotted by Tom Keller or any other deputies that were patrolling the streets.

"You know, I feel kind of strange, breaking into someone's car and looking at personal property", Archie said.

"If we get caught, at least we'll get caught together", Cheryl said.

Archie hugged her briefly before checking to see if the doors were unlocked. Much to his surprise, the back door was unlocked.

"Not too bright, is she?", Cheryl asked.

"And they say I'm dumb", Archie said.

Archie perused the entire vehicle thoroughly, looking through old papers and documents that seemed worthless. He skimmed through the items in the car, until something fell out of the front of the trunk of the car.

Archie picked it up and saw that it was a driver's license. Grundy's picture could clearly be seen. But he also noticed that…

"Her real name seems to be Jennifer Gibson", Archie said.


	9. Confrontation

Chapter 9: Confrontation

Archie looked at the driver's license, feeling unsure of what to do for a few minutes.

"I can't believe it", Cheryl said.

"I knew she couldn't be trusted", Archie said. "I can't say I'm surprised. If she was lying about this, then who knows what else she was lying about."

Cheryl's face then started to show some anger. "If she killed Jason, I swear I'll…"

Archie pulled Cheryl close to himself. "We don't know that for sure. Even if she is responsible, I don't want to see you get into trouble. Cheryl, I care about you. Riverdale is already looking like a dangerous place."

Archie looked at the identification card.

"I'm taking a picture of this with my cell phone", he said. "With photographic evidence, there's no way that Reggie can possibly accuse us of slander."

Archie and Cheryl then walked back to the Blossom estate.

"How often do you think of Jason?", Archie asked.

"Almost every day", Cheryl said.

"I bet you miss him", Archie said.

"Badly", Cheryl said. "I often think about what he would be doing if he was still here. He would have tried to lead the Riverdale football team to another championship. I think he would be glad that you're watching over me."

Archie smiled. "It's not really a big deal, Cheryl."

"It is. Until you and I spent more time together, no one else seemed to care about my problems or what I was going through. I lashed out at students in my elementary school and middle school in anger, which I shouldn't have done."

"Cheryl, you are not to blame. I know why you were angry."

When the pair reached the Blossom estate, Cheryl embraced Archie.

"Take care of yourself", Archie said.

"I could say the same about you."

The next day at school, Coach Clayton called Archie and Reggie into his office.

"I've decided to make Archie captain of the Bulldogs", Coach Clayton said. "He made the right choice in choosing to retire Jason's number. Exemplary leadership right there."

Archie felt guilty about accepting the role as captain of the Bulldogs. But he also knew that Cheryl would have wanted him to replace Jason. Accepting the new responsibilities on his shoulders would be a lot on his plate.

But it was necessary. Archie believed that the tasks of watching over Cheryl and looking out for his teammates fell to him. Archie did not consider himself a leader, but he would do the best he could to help his team and the love of his life.

Coach Clayton then said, "I'll be seeing the two of you at practice today."

Archie and Reggie then left the office.

"Well, you're the lucky one", Reggie said, slapping his hand on Archie's shoulder.

"I thought it would have been you", Archie said.

"It was clear that you seemed more committed to filling Jason's shoes than I did", Reggie said. "I mean, you are in love with his sister."

"I hope Cheryl won't mind."

"Are you kidding? She would be proud of you. If anyone deserves to be captain other than Jason, it should be you."

Archie smiled as he and Reggie headed to class.

"What do you think Cheryl will be tutoring us about today?", Reggie asked.

"Maybe she'll tutor us in English", Archie said. "Or maybe biology. Some of that stuff does seem pretty difficult."

Archie saw Jughead standing by the lockers. He nodded at him briefly before going on his way.

**Meanwhile…**

Kevin Keller was still feeling terrified.

He was happy for Archie and Cheryl. Their new romance was clearly beneficial for both of them in a lot of ways. Cheryl was a loner, and Archie needed someone intelligent to guide him in the right direction. Kevin only wished someone could be there to guide _him_.

If Kevin had a boyfriend, perhaps he would not have stumbled upon Jason's body. What had he done to deserve this? Kevin and Jason were not really that close. They talked a few times, but they were not really friends. _Acquaintances_ would be a better term to describe their interaction.

Kevin's dreams the past few nights had haunted him. He kept seeing Jason's corpse hovering over him. He was disgusted by what he was seeing.

He just wished his father would catch Jason's killer and get it over with. With the murderer still on the loose, Kevin would not really have any peace. What if he was the next person to be murdered? As far as Kevin knew, he was on good terms with everyone. He hadn't done anything to piss anyone off or offend anyone. There was no reason why anyone would want him dead. Of course, Kevin thought the same thing about Jason. Yet here they were.

He needed to have consolation. He needed to have closure. There were many individuals that were devastated after discovering a dead body. Kevin knew from history class in ninth grade that Japan had one of the highest suicide rates out of all the nations in the world. The horror of finding someone that had recently passed away was certainly not something Kevin would wish upon anyone, not even his worst enemy.

He might need to speak to a counselor about his problems. He figured he needed to tell someone about what he was going through.

**Meanwhile…**

Archie saw Betty and Veronica talking with each other in the lounge during fourth period. He knew that he would have to make amends for their argument.

Archie approached, not really sure what to say. His communication skills weren't that great.

Betty and Veronica glanced at him but didn't say anything.

"Hello Betty", Archie said. "I just wanted to apologize for losing my temper in the library."

"I messed up as well", Betty said. "I shouldn't have said those things about Cheryl."

"Cheryl's an incredible person", Archie said. "You just have to give her a chance."

Betty nodded.

Archie smiled at her. "Well, I have to get going. See you around."

Archie was then heading to the library to study with Reggie and Cheryl. As he headed in that direction, someone tapped him on the shoulder.

It was Jughead.

"Hey, pal", Jughead said. "Haven't seen you that often lately. How have you been?"

"Everything is fine", Archie said. "Just busy studying and focused on extracurriculars."

"We should hang out sometime", Jughead said.

"We'll see", Archie said. "I don't have a fixed schedule, so I'll have to see. But we'll definitely hang out."

Archie continued on his way to the library. He smiled at Reggie and Cheryl when he sat down in the library with them.

Cheryl said, "We'll start by going over geology. Can either of you tell me the attributes of bauxite?"

Archie thought,_ I remember reading something about that in my textbook_.

"Bauxite is an amorphous rock that is believed to be the chief commercial ore of aluminum. It is consisted of multiple iron oxides."

"That's correct, Archie", Cheryl said.

Cheryl then turned to Reggie. "What are the three types of rocks?"

"Sediment, metamorphic, and igneous."

"What type of rock is schist?"

Reggie hesitated, apparently trying to think.

"Sediment?"

"No, it's metamorphic."

Reggie looked at the floor in disgust.

"Don't worry, Reggie", Archie said. "Making mistakes helps you to get better from them."

Reggie nodded.

Twenty minutes later, Archie and Cheryl decided to show Reggie all the research they had dug up on Grundy.

"Reggie, we looked up Grundy's social media profiles online", Archie said. "There's no evidence that suggests that she is even a real person."

"Let's not go through this again", Reggie said, clearly not wanting to hear this.

"That's not even the worst of it", Archie said. He then showed Reggie the picture that was taken of Grundy's driver's license.

Reggie whistled. "Seems like the love of my life has been keeping quite a few secrets."

"The love of your life?", Archie asked. "You might want to correct that statement. Anyway, it should have been obvious from the start that Grundy was keeping quite a few secrets."

"I have to talk to her", Reggie said. "But no more intimacy. I'll just have to tell her that our romantical relationship is over."

"As it should be", Archie said. "It won't be easy for you to break the news to her, but it has to be done. It's for your own good."

After school, Archie, Reggie, and Cheryl all headed to Grundy's house.

"Cheryl and I will be here to support you just in case", Archie said. "You can do this."

"Thanks, Archie."

Reggie knocked on the door to Grundy's house as Archie and Cheryl watched from across the street.

Grundy opened the door. She kissed Reggie on the cheek.

"Miss Grundy, we need to talk", Reggie said. "I know your real name is Jennifer Gibson."

Grundy seemed shocked from Archie's position across the street.

"We have to stop seeing each other", Reggie said. "This relationship of ours isn't right. But if you don't mind me asking, why have you been lying?"

Grundy looked at the ground. It seemed like she might cry.

"My ex-husband, he would get drunk and hit me almost every day. Once, he got so angry that he threw me against the floor and punched me in the face at least six times. I was in the hospital with serious injuries. I had to not only get a divorce, but go somewhere that he couldn't find me."

"Miss Grundy, I didn't know", Reggie said. He put a hand on her shoulder. "Even though we are no longer intimate with each other, you can always come talk to me about anything."

Grundy nodded, smiling slightly.

Reggie and Grundy hugged briefly before the black-haired teenager walked away. Grundy headed back inside her house.

"Glad that's taken care of", Archie said. "We better get back to studying."

**That night…**

Clifford and Penelope looked at Cheryl curiously as she ate dinner, trying to avoid speaking to either one of her parents.

"Cheryl, we need to talk", Clifford said. "It's about your friendship with Archie Andrews."

"What about it?", Cheryl asked, her heart pounding wildly.

"Archie might be a good influence on you", Clifford said. "It's probably good that he is studying with you. That way it is harder for you to embarrass yourself."

Then he showed a slight smile.

"He could also be quite useful in a few ways…"


	10. New Hobby

Chapter 10: New Hobby

Archie headed to school on Monday morning, feeling slightly elated. Everything seemed to be going fine. He was having an amazing time with Cheryl, he was captain of the football team, everything seemed to be working in his favor.

Of course, in a town like Riverdale, nothing seemed to be permanent. Something would come along to completely throw everything out of proportion.

He headed to class and stopped to talk with Jughead on the way.

"Jughead, do you want to hang out on Sunday?", Archie asked.

"Sure", Jughead said. "Also, I heard that you were selected as captain of the Riverdale football team. Congrats!"

"Yeah", Archie said. "It makes me feel ecstatic."

"Looking forward to your first game?", Jughead asked.

"Yeah", Archie said. "I feel slightly nervous."

"What are you nervous about? Not only are you the captain, but you're one of the star players on the team. You'll be fine."

"It's just a lot of responsibilities to take care of", Archie said. "A lot of people are counting on me. It's not going to be easy to be in Jason's shoes."

Archie took a deep breath. "This isn't something I originally planned. I wanted to play football and participate in more games. But then Jason died, and I was given a bigger role. I wouldn't have chosen any of this, but I will do my best to lead the Bulldogs to victory."

"I know you will."

"That's what Cheryl would have wanted as well", Archie said.

"Speaking of Cheryl, I've noticed you and Reggie were taking tutoring lessons from her", Jughead said.

Archie's heart was beating wildly. Did Jughead know?

"May I ask why?"

Archie could hardly contain himself from breathing a sigh of relief. It was okay, Jughead didn't know.

"We just needed help in some of our classes", Archie said, trying to think of a reasonable excuse. "We were struggling with some of the material, and Cheryl just happens to have the highest grade of everyone in our year at school."

"Oh", Jughead said. Archie could tell by his facial expression that he suspected that something else was happening. He tried to not think about that.

"Well, I got to get going", Archie said. "See you."

He headed to class, just looking forward to tutoring with Reggie and Cheryl. That was certainly a positive aspect of his day.

Finally, fifth period came along, and Archie headed to the library to study with Reggie and Cheryl. He wasn't feeling nervous or afraid. He had studied as hard as he could. He was sure he would be fine.

Archie sat down with Reggie and Cheryl, feeling confident.

"So, Archie, can you define the word _benevolent_?"

"Absolutely", Archie said. "Benevolent means to be well meaning and warmhearted."

"Correct."

Cheryl smiled at Archie. "I could easily describe you as _benevolent_. You clearly care about me."

Archie blushed slightly and held Cheryl's hand under the table for three seconds.

Cheryl then turned to Reggie.

"Reggie, can you define the word _iconoclastic_?"

"Um, yeah", Reggie said. "Iconoclastic is defined as an attack on cherished traditions or institutions."

"Correct."

Cheryl then turned to Archie.

"Archie, what is the meaning of the word _retract_?"

"The word _retract_ means to draw or take back", Archie replied.

He already knew that he would never retract or have regrets about his relationship with Cheryl. Not just for his own sake, but for hers as well. Since they had started dating, Cheryl was clearly much happier. Even though Jason was dead and his killer was still on the loose, Archie knew that supporting Cheryl in this way would offer incredible consolation. Of course, he had to be careful that no one else noticed their behavior or secret activities together.

After fifth period, Archie was walking to his next class when he noticed something on the noticeboard. There were plenty of signs about the first football game the Riverdale Bulldogs would be playing. Archie knew he would have to devise strategies in their game against Centerville High School, but he wasn't worried. Archie was noticing a sign that was asking for volunteers to start a new sports team at Riverdale High School.

Archie knew that Riverdale High did not have a bowling team. If he and Cheryl went to the local bowling alley and tested their skills, maybe they could start a bowling team at Riverdale High. Of course, Archie and Cheryl knew that they would have to be at least decent enough at the sport. The plus side about this was that it would be a good chance for the two of them to spend more time together without anyone getting suspicious.

Archie texted Cheryl.

**AA: I have an idea. Meet me at Pop's after school.**

**CB: Sounds good.**

After school, Archie and Cheryl met at Pop's. Archie ordered the both of them milkshakes.

Cheryl drank her milkshake for about two minutes before breaking the silence.

"Archie, why did you call me here?"

"Cheryl, have you noticed that Riverdale High doesn't have a bowling team?"

"Yes."

"I was thinking that maybe you and I could start two bowling teams at Riverdale High. You could find players for the girls' bowling team and I can find some for the guys' team."

"That's not a bad idea, Archie."

Archie held Cheryl's hand under the table. "Cheryl, I know you've been frustrated because we haven't had many chances to hang out since we started dating. I know you've been through something hard. You have faced a tremendous loss. And I want to help you.

"This bowling team might be a good way to take your mind off of your troubles. Believe me, I'll still be looking for the person that killed Jason. I will be trying to get justice for Jason. I will make sure that whomever was responsible for Jason's death will atone. All for you."

"Thank you, Archie."

Archie smiled slightly at Cheryl. "I'll probably just go through my contacts and find some guys from the grade above us. That way we can stand a good chance. Maybe I'll get Kevin and Reggie involved in this as well."

He then looked around the restaurant. No one else was in the chocklit shoppe. Pop Tate was inside the kitchen.

"Quick hug?", Cheryl suggested.

The pair briefly embraced before leaving. Archie hoped that no one saw what just happened.


	11. Processed

Chapter 11: Processed

Archie called Kevin and Reggie, and the three of them agreed to find players to join the Riverdale bowling teams. Archie knew that it would be a lot of work, but he was sure he could handle it.

When Archie got home, his cell phone rang. It was Cheryl.

"Archie?", she asked. It sounded like she was crying.

"Cheryl, are you okay?"

"Jason's funeral is taking place tomorrow."

Archie's heart pounded wildly.

"I'm not sure I can do this alone. I feel so much fear."

"Cheryl, you don't have to do this alone", Archie said. "I'll be there for you."

"Thank you, Archie."

"I'll just have to ask my dad permission to stay over at your place", Archie said. "Hold on for a few minutes, I'll be right back."

Archie ran to find his father. He was in the kitchen, talking to someone on the phone.

"Thank you, Hermione. Make sure that everything in my office is taken care of. Thanks."

Fred hung up the phone.

"Hey, Dad", Archie said. "Can I stay over at Cheryl's house? She needs some emotional support because of Jason's funeral tomorrow."

"That's not a problem, Archie", Fred said. "But I thought that I should warn you about your relationship with Cheryl."

"Dad, nothing could possibly change my mind about Cheryl", Archie said. "I genuinely love her, and I am proud to consider her my girlfriend."

Fred sighed. "Archie, I'm not saying Cheryl isn't a good person. I think she is, and like you said yourself, she's really hurting because of the toxic environment she was raised in. However, human beings like yourself have very tender hearts. I was in love with a girl when I was in high school and I genuinely thought our relationship could last. I thought she would permanently feel the same way about me when we were dating."

"Who was she?", Archie asked.

"Hermione Lodge."

"Veronica's mother?"

"Yep."

"What happened?", Archie asked, clearly intrigued.

"She met a rich kid named Hiram Lodge and chose him over me, and that was the end of our relationship. We're thankfully on good terms now, but I thought that I should give you advice. Just be careful. Relationships don't always go the way we would expect. You and Cheryl might be together for a long time, maybe not. You don't know if your relationship will permanently last. You don't know if the two of you will end up being mere acquaintances. I would rather you and Cheryl remain good friends and still care about each other's well-being than have an unresolved conflict."

"I would never dare to break Cheryl's heart", Archie said. "I have you, Mom, and Jughead. Cheryl has no one to turn to now that Jason's dead. She clearly needs me."

Fred hugged Archie. "I love you, Archie. I will always love you. I just want what's best for you. To be safe and happy. If you and Cheryl want to be there for each other, I will be more than happy to encourage you."

"Everything I've done has been for Cheryl so far, Dad", Archie said. "Are you going to the funeral tomorrow?"

"I might as well", Fred said. "I would imagine the entire town will be there."

Archie got dressed and headed to Thornhill. He knocked on the door. It opened, and Archie saw Cheryl smiling at him.

"Archiekins", Cheryl said, with a wide grin on her face.

"Cheryl", Archie said.

Cheryl whispered, "Meet me upstairs."

Archie followed Cheryl upstairs to her bedroom. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to say. He didn't want to say anything stupid, but he knew he had to comfort Cheryl somehow. What do you say to someone about to go to the funeral of their twin brother?

When they arrived to Cheryl's bedroom, Archie then broke the silence.

"Cheryl, I know it's going to be a hard day for you tomorrow", Archie said. "But I'll be there for you. I will be there to comfort you."

"Thank you, Archie", Cheryl said.

She then walked over to the other side of her bedroom. She picked up a framed photo. Archie walked over to get a better look at the photo. He saw that it was a photo of Jason and Cheryl after their middle school graduation.

"Wow", Archie said. "Where did the time go?"

"It was such a great day", Cheryl said. "Jason was the only one that wanted to take a picture with me."

Archie looked at the ground. He felt guilt for not doing anything about that at the time. He simply didn't know.

Well, now I do, he thought. _I can't change the past, but I will do everything in my power to help Cheryl in the present and future. She needs me. If I don't help her, who will?_

"I wished I had done things differently", Archie said. "I should have been there for you. If I had tried to be more friendly with you back then and hung out with you more, maybe Jason would still be alive."

"That's nonsense, Archie", Cheryl said. "This isn't your fault."

"Do you have any other pictures of you and Jason?", Archie asked. "Maybe we could look at them."

"Sure."

Cheryl walked over to her desk and pulled out a large photo album. Archie looked over her shoulder as she started pointing out pictures and explaining the situation that had happened in each of the pictures.

"This was my kindergarten graduation", Cheryl said. "I had a perfect attendance record. Jason intentionally was absent for one day of kindergarten so I could win the award."

"Wow", Archie said. "He really was a good brother to you, Cheryl. I wish I had a sibling. Then I would know what it feels like to have a family member near your age by your side."

Cheryl then pointed out another photo.

"This is a picture that was taken during my sixth birthday party. Jason and I both had strawberry cakes."

"Pink", Archie said, smiling slightly. "Your favorite color."

"Archie, I think I see you in this picture", Cheryl said, peering closely at the photograph.

Archie looked at the photo, stunned for a quick second. Then he said, "That _is_ me. Wow."

Archie could clearly see his six-year old self in the background of the picture, sitting at the table eating some cake.

"Those were good times", he said.

After the two redheads looked at more pictures, Cheryl then yawned.

"We should probably get to bed."

"Agreed. I'll sleep in the guest room, if that's okay with your parents."

As Archie laid on the bed, he wondered what he was supposed to do now. He was certain that tomorrow would be quite stressful for Cheryl. How would anyone feel having to say goodbye to their fallen twin brother?

Archie knew that what happened to Cheryl was a huge injustice. He couldn't just simply sit around and do nothing. He had to take action, at least for her sake.

He decided that maybe he and Cheryl would do some investigating after the funeral. If they worked together, perhaps they would stumble upon some clues that might help them.

Archie wondered why Cheryl was going through this. She didn't deserve this treatment. She already had been through so much emotional trauma.

The next morning, Archie woke up early. He stretched his arms as he thought about how the funeral would take place.

An hour later, he and Cheryl were eating breakfast. Archie wasn't saying much, trying to choose his words carefully. He had to be careful about how he spoke to Clifford and Penelope, and he also wanted to make sure he didn't say anything that would hurt Fred.

"So, Archie, how is your father's construction company?"

"Um, everything is fine", Archie said. He had to be cautious and surreptitious. Anything he said here could easily give away vital information. So, he had to act like everything was normal and that nothing was suspicious in the slightest.

"That's good. You know, Fred and I played on the Riverdale High baseball team for one season together", Clifford said. "He was a good hitter."

Archie nodded but didn't say anything.

An hour later, Archie and Cheryl were preparing the seats for the funeral. Tom Keller had arrived early and had started asking Penelope and Clifford questions.

"So, are you sure having this funeral publicly is a smart idea?", Sheriff Keller asked.

"I'm positive", Clifford said. "We have many enemies. There's no doubt that the killer will come here, probably to infiltrate. Jason's killer could be in this very room."

"We're going to be watching everyone carefully", Penelope said. "There's no good reason to trust anyone that walks through those doors.

Archie and Cheryl walked to another room in Thornhill where they would have more privacy.

"Cheryl, you'll be fine", Archie said. "No one will cause you any problems. Not if I can help it."

"I'm glad you've been so helpful, Archie", Cheryl said. "Especially after you retired Jason's jersey number. No one else would have done that."

Hearing Cheryl mention Jason's jersey number had Archie thinking for a slight second. Then it hit him.

"I'll be right back", Archie said to Cheryl.

He ran out of Thornhill and towards his house as fast as he could. His numerous practices with the Riverdale Bulldogs football team had caused him to be a very fast sprinter. He raced into his house and ran upstairs to his room and grabbed Jason's jersey. He left without saying anything to his father.

By the time Archie had arrived back to Thornhill, the room where the funeral would be taking place (the dining room) was almost packed. Archie walked over to Penelope.

"Mrs. Blossom, here is Jason's jersey. He and Cheryl would have wanted you to have it."

Mrs. Blossom accepted the jersey. She then stroked Archie's hair.

"You're so much like him."

After she walked away, Kevin glanced at Archie.

"She touched your hair?" Kevin asked rhetorically.

Reggie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead were sitting right next to Kevin.

"You know, I'm surprised that Penelope Blossom didn't beat the crap out of Alice Cooper for writing that obituary", Kevin said.

"Beat the crap out of her?", Reggie asked, scoffing. "Knowing Penelope, she would probably tear Alice into pieces, then eat the insides."

Kevin laughed, but not that hard. They all knew that Penelope Blossom was the wrong person to provoke or offend. If any of them said the wrong thing, it would be a recipe for disaster.

"Guys, I better go check and see how Cheryl's doing", Archie said.

Betty looked at Archie for a brief second, as if telling him not to do it. But Archie had to be there for Cheryl.

Archie walked all the way to the front row.

"Cheryl, how are you feeling?", Archie asked.

"Better now, I think", Cheryl said.

Archie squeezed her shoulder.

Then Clifford raised his voice to get everyone's attention.

_The funeral is about to begin_, Archie thought.


	12. Breakout

Chapter 12: Breakout

Archie Andrews was sitting down next to Cheryl Blossom, not sure what he was supposed to do now. Penelope was crying, clearly feeling remorseful about the loss of her son. Clifford, on the other hand, didn't seem to show any emotion at all. Archie couldn't really judge him for that. People grieved in their own ways, and maybe Clifford simply didn't want people to know how he was feeling.

But Archie was most concerned about Cheryl. He knew that her well-being and her happiness was of utmost importance at that very moment. Archie knew that there was nothing he could do to bring Jason back, but he could at least be there for Cheryl. That had to count for something.

"Jason was my only son", Clifford said. He didn't show any sign of grieving. Archie couldn't see any tears on Clifford's face. "I had plans for him. He would have been very helpful. I will miss him."

Archie had a feeling that something seemed fishy in the way Clifford was saying these things. He said all the right words, but it seemed passionless and rote. Archie always knew Clifford was powerful and dangerous, but he would have expected the patriarch of the Blossom family to at least feel remorse about the loss of his only son. Parents weren't supposed to bury their own kids. Those that lost their spouses were called widows. Those that lost their parents were called orphans. But for those that lost their children…

Archie guessed that maybe Clifford truly was deeply upset about Jason's death. He didn't have to say he was upset in order to feel that way. Maybe Clifford wanted to grieve and mourn in private. Which was all right, he guessed. Still, it did seem rather fishy.

Archie had to at least help Cheryl during this time. She didn't deserve what she was going through. Surely there was something that he could do to help. He had to at least show her that not everyone would turn her away.

After Clifford finished speaking, everyone lined up to lay flowers on Jason's coffin. Cheryl was crying as she laid a rose on Jason's coffin. Archie stood next to her as she did so.

"We've failed you, JJ", Cheryl said, tears streaming down her face.

"We should talk in private", Archie said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Archie and Cheryl walked upstairs to her bedroom. Cheryl closed the door and started crying, collapsing on her bed.

"I still can't believe he's gone", Cheryl sobbed.

Archie hugged Cheryl tightly, trying to console and succor her. He already knew that this was going to happen, but it still broke his heart into pieces. Archie didn't have any siblings, but he would definitely be devastated if this had happened to one of his own family members. He could completely understand how Cheryl was feeling.

"Cheryl, it's going to be okay", Archie said as he stroked her hair, trying to show her solace. In his mind, however, he didn't know if he really believed that. He knew what happened to Cheryl's brother was horrible and inexcusable. No one had the right to take another person's life no matter what he did. He still didn't have any clues on who could have been responsible for the murder. Archie knew that Fred would not have wanted him to rush headfirst into a dangerous situation, but at the same time, he had to do something to make sure that justice was served. He couldn't let his girlfriend suffer like this. He had to take action. Maybe trying to act courageous sounded stupid, but this was certainly an occasion where it should be permitted. Archie had to at least try to put the pieces together, at least for Cheryl's sake.

"I wish I could take this pain away from you, Cheryl", Archie said. "You don't deserve this. You are the love of my life. I can't bear to watch you suffer more than you already have. I'll do my best to help you. I promise you, the person responsible for this horrific act will pay. Severely."

Cheryl seemed to calm down as Archie continued hugging her and holding her tightly.

"You're safe with me", Archie said as he continued stroking her hair.

A few minutes later Cheryl seemed to have completely calmed down.

"Thank you, Archie", Cheryl said.

Archie said, "Well, I have to get back home. Take care of yourself, all right?"

Cheryl nodded. She then leaned over and kissed Archie's cheek.

"If anyone gives you any problems, you can talk to me. I've got your back", Archie said, patting her on the shoulder.

Archie headed back to his house. He wasn't sure what he was going to do now. He then had an idea. He thought that it would be a stupid one, at first. But then he realized that he needed to help Cheryl in some way, somehow. Even if it meant doing something unexpected.

Archie called Jughead's cell phone number.

"Hey, Archie", Jughead said. "How is everything?"

"Jughead", Archie said. "I need your help."

**The next day…**

"So, let me get this straight", Jughead said. Archie had asked his friend to meet him in a private classroom. "You want us to try to find the person that murdered Jason Blossom."

"Exactly", Archie said. "I know it sounds dangerous and imprudent. But there is a murderer that's on the loose as we speak. Sheriff Keller is investigating, but we should at least try to do our own research. Like, a project or something."

"Archie, if I wanted to do a project, I'd go to the library or something", Jughead said. "This is bloodshed and cold-blooded murder we're talking about. Life and death. Someone who was so filled with hate and cowardice they're willing to murder someone. If we confront this unknown killer, we could be next."

"Not if we're careful", Archie said. "We shouldn't be telling anyone about our plan. But we should at least do some investigating."

"We could tell Betty", Jughead said. "She's a writer for the Blue and Gold. If anyone could have adequate detective skills to crack this case, it would be her."

"That would mean letting her in on our plan", Archie said. "Fine. The three of us can work together. But no one else can know about this, if we know what's good for ourselves."

"So, what do we do?", Jughead asked.

"Well, we could try ruling out suspects", Archie said. "Where were you on July 11th?"

Jughead laughed. "Archie, you don't think _I_ murdered Jason?"

"It's just to get all our stories straight and to have proper alibi. _I_ know that you didn't murder Jason, of course. But if Sheriff Keller were to start interrogating us, we should at least be able to provide proper answers."

"Ok, fine", Jughead said.

"So, where were you?", Archie asked.

Jughead hesitated. "If I tell you, promise you won't tell anyone."

"I won't. Just tell me."

Jughead sighed. "I was here. In the school. See, I've been living here because my dad turned into an alcoholic and numerous fights broke out in our house. It wasn't pleasant."

Archie couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"I'm surprised", he said.

"I put my belongings, blanket, and pillow in a closet. It's not much, but at least I feel comfortable."

"Shouldn't you tell someone about this?"

"Don't worry about me, Archie. I'll be fine."

"Well, you have a good alibi. What about your father?"

Jughead sighed. "I don't know where he was on July 11th. Maybe he was in the trailer, drinking."

"Give Betty a call on her cell phone", Archie said. "I know her father didn't kill Jason, but her mother, on the other hand…"

"There's no way Alice Cooper killed Jason", Jughead said. "True, she openly despised him, but I don't think even she would have the strength to kill him."

During fifth period, Archie headed to the library to study with Cheryl and Reggie. On his way there, he passed by Jughead, who updated him about Betty.

"She said she's willing to contribute to our investigation", Jughead said.

"That's great", Archie said.

Archie was feeling more pleased as he studied with Cheryl. He could hold her hand under the table, making sure no one saw. As long as he could make Cheryl feel better, that was all that mattered.

After school, Archie headed to Pop's. He saw Jughead and Betty had ordered milkshakes and were eating burgers.

"Uh, hey guys", Archie said as he approached their table.

"Hey, Archie", Betty said. "What you suggested sounds interesting, but I'm not sure if what we're doing is safe."

"How's Polly?", Archie asked.

"I haven't heard from her in a while", Betty said. "My parents told me she was sick. I'm guessing she's even more heartbroken over Jason."

"So, what's the plan, Archie? What is your strategy?"

"We need to find the person responsible for the murder of Jason Blossom", Archie said. He could speak as loud as he wanted to, since they were the only three people inside the chocklit shoppe, aside from Pop Tate himself. "We cannot allow this horrific act to go unpunished. We _must_ do something about it. Jason wasn't perfect, but he didn't deserve to have his life cut short at such a young age. He was only a teenager, a high school student. Jason's sister was really close with him. Think about how Cheryl must be feeling right now. Now, imagine if this happened to someone you were related to. Wouldn't you feel indignant? Wouldn't you want vengeance?"

"I would probably be pissed", Jughead said. "But that doesn't mean that we should risk our lives and everybody else's."

"It doesn't hurt to put together our own clues", Archie said. "Betty, where was your mother on July 11th?"

"She was with me", Betty said. "We were in our house at the same time that day."

Archie nodded, feeling slightly more satisfied. "We just need to get as much information as possible. We also need to make sure no one knows about our investigating. Sheriff Keller is working on the case, but that doesn't mean we can't try to figure things out by ourselves."

"As long as we don't get endangered by it, I'm okay with it", Jughead said.

**That night…**

Polly Cooper had been confined to the Sisters of Quiet Mercy, a hospital for mentally sick patients. She hadn't heard anything from Jason. Polly suspected that this was part of her parents' plan to keep her and Jason apart. Well, it wouldn't work.

Polly noticed that a window was left unlocked in one of the rooms in the back of the hospital. Her plan was to wait until everyone was asleep, then sneak out through that window.

Polly tiptoed quietly as she made her way to the open window. Her heart was beating rapidly.

_I won't give up now_, she thought. _This is my chance._

Polly hesitated, then jumped out of the window. She had hoped to land on the ground feet-first. Instead, she landed on her right side.

_At least my arm's not broken_, she thought as she fled into the night.


End file.
